Criteria & Indicators

• C1

  Forest Resources & Global Carbon Cycles

  Indicators

  • 1.1

    Forest area Forest area has increased by 9% since 1990, although the rate of expansion is slowing down.

    
  • 1.2

    Growing Stock The total growing stock of European forests adds up to 34 900 million m3

    
  • 1.3

    Age structure and/or diameter distribution A quarter of European forests are uneven-aged

    
  • 1.4

    Forest carbon In the EU-28, sequestration corresponds to around 10% of gross greenhouse gas emissions. In the period 1990-2015

    
• C2

  Forest Ecosystem Health and Vitality

  Indicators

  • 2.1

    Deposition and concentration of air pollutants Deposition of air pollution has been continuously decreasing since 1997

    
  • 2.2

    Soil condition Soil properties show limited changes

    
  • 2.3

    Defoliation The condition of European forests is apparently deteriorating, with increasing mean defoliation of the main tree species.

    
  • 2.4

    Forest damage About 3% of European forests are damaged, mainly by wind, insects, ungulate browsing, and forest fires.

    
  • 2.5

    Forest land degradation Currently pan-European reporting renders the quantitative analysis and presentation of the indicator impossible.
• C3

  Productive Func­tions of Forests

  Indicators

  • 3.1

    Increment and fellings Increment in European forests substantially exceeds felling.

    
  • 3.2

    Roundwood Europe is an important roundwood-production region.

    
  • 3.3

    Non-wood goods Forests and other wooded land are an important source of non-wood goods.

    
  • 3.4

    Services Market realisation of forest services remains underdeveloped.

    
• C4

  Forests Biological Diversity

  Indicators

  • 4.1

    Diversity of tree species Stands composed of two or more tree species predominate in European forests.

    
  • 4.2

    Regeneration The majority of European forests are naturally regenerated.

    
  • 4.3

    Naturalness Forests undisturbed by man cover 2.2% of European forest area
  • 4.4

    Introduced tree species Introduced tree species cover 3% of total forest area.

    
  • 4.5

    Deadwood Volume of deadwood corresponds to about 7% of growing stock.

    
  • 4.6

    Genetic resources The number of genetic conservation units has increased about 10 times since 1990.

    
  • 4.7

    Forest fragmentation This indicator requires to be further developed and tested.
  • 4.8

    Threatened forest species
  • 4.9

    Protected forests Protected forests account for almost a quarter of the total forest area.

    
  • 4.10

    Common forest bird species Populations of common forest bird species are generally stable.

    
• C5

  Protective Functions (Soil & Water)

  Indicators

  • 5.1

    Protective forests – soil, water and other ecosystem functions – infrastructure and managed natural resources Protective forests prevent soil erosion, preserve water resources, and maintain other ecosystem services.

    
• C6

  Socioeconomic Functions

  Indicators

  • 6.1

    Forest holdings Forest area in public and private ownership is roughly balanced in Europe.

    
  • 6.2

    Contribution of forest sector to GDP The forest sector contributed about 0.7% to GDP in Europe.
  • 6.3

    Net revenue Net revenue in forestry is volatile.
  • 6.4

    Investments in forests and forestry Investments in forestry show a slightly positive trend.

    
  • 6.5

    Forest sector workforce There are more than 2.6 million employees in the forest sector.

    
  • 6.6

    Occupational safety and health The reported number of fatal accidents in forestry decreased markedly.

    
  • 6.7

    Wood consumption About 1.1 m3 of wood is consumed annually per capita in Europe.

    
  • 6.8

    Trade in wood Europe is a net exporter of primary wood and paper products.

    
  • 6.9

    Wood energy Renewable energy from wood covers about 6.4% of total energy consumption.

    
  • 6.10

    Recreation in forests 70% of forests and other wooded land are available for public recreation.