About the project
RESILIENTREES aims at preserving large old trees and old-growth forests, irreplaceable elements of European landscapes. They both support ecosystem functioning, biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and contribute to human wellbeing. Because of this unique combination of functions and values, they are keystone structures, elements that have a disproportionate positive effect on the ecosystem where they occur.
Climate change and mono-functional land-uses, have a worldwide impact on senescent trees and their successors are becoming rare. Old-growth forests face similar threats in Europe, where they are rare (below 3% of total forest area), small and fragmented.
Through the analysis of monitoring and management approaches currently in place, the project will support the establishment of new policy instruments for the protection and restoration of both old-growth forests and veteran trees, as elements that can support more resilient and biodiversity rich landscapes.