Active restoration practices for biodiversity conservation in managed forests. A review of the literature with a European focus

Active Restoration Practices for Biodiversity Conservation in Managed Forests reviews practical, science-based methods for enhancing biodiversity in managed forests through the active creation of deadwood, habitat trees, cavities, and other key microhabitats. The report explains the ecological importance of deadwood and habitat trees for saproxylic insects, fungi, birds, bats, and other forest-dependent species, and presents restoration techniques such as girdling, creating high stumps, tree topping, fungal inoculation, artificial uprooting, pollarding, mechanically carved hollows, and basal slits. For each method, guidance is provided on suitable forest and tree types, target species, and practical implementation. The publication serves as a reference for forest managers and practitioners seeking to integrate biodiversity restoration into sustainable forest management and improve forest resilience and ecosystem functioning.