From Concept to Curriculum and Competencies: Results of a Survey on Teaching of Integrative Forest Management at Higher Education Institutions Across Europe

European forests are facing unprecedented challenges. Climate change, biodiversity loss, increasing disturbances, and evolving societal demands are transforming how forests need to be managed. Ensuring that forests remain resilient, biodiverse, and capable of providing essential ecosystem services requires a new generation of forestry professionals equipped with both sound ecological knowledge and the ability to navigate complex environmental and social challenges. Integrative Forest Management (IFM) offers a framework for addressing these challenges by combining biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, and sustainable forest use.

But are European forestry education programmes adequately preparing students for this task?

A TRANSFORMIT study surveying forestry educators across 31 European countries explored how well higher education curricula reflect IFM principles, which competencies future professionals need, and what barriers prevent these approaches from being more widely integrated into education.

From traditional forestry to integrated management

The findings reveal that many European forestry programmes already incorporate elements of IFM, although often without explicitly identifying them as such. Rather than offering dedicated IFM courses, approximately 68% of institutions integrate relevant content into existing subjects, while around one-quarter provide specialised courses. Only a few programmes appear to address IFM comprehensively across an entire degree.

This fragmented approach reflects the long-standing traditions of European forestry education, which provide valuable foundations but can also make curricula difficult to adapt. Limited teaching time, funding constraints, rigid institutional structures, and resistance to changing established practices all present challenges. In some countries, uncertainty about the definition and scope of IFM further complicates its integration into teaching.

Nevertheless, the study found no need to abandon traditional forestry knowledge. Instead, the challenge is to build on existing expertise while strengthening the skills and perspectives required to manage forests under changing conditions.

What should future foresters learn?

Educators identified several management principles as particularly important for IFM. These include promoting natural regeneration, selecting tree species suited to local site conditions, using partial harvesting, and retaining habitat trees and deadwood. Together, these practices can support biodiversity, create structurally diverse forests, and strengthen ecosystem resilience.

However, effective forest management requires more than technical knowledge. Forestry professionals must understand ecological processes, disturbance dynamics, landscape planning, and the complex interactions between forests and their surrounding environments. They also need to anticipate change and make informed decisions under uncertainty.

Equally important are competencies that extend beyond traditional forestry training. The study highlights systems thinking, critical thinking, synthesis of knowledge, creativity, teamwork, and communication with society as essential skills. Professionals increasingly need to reconcile different interests, collaborate across disciplines, and explain management decisions to diverse stakeholders.

The central message is that future foresters must learn not only how to manage forests, but also how to think critically, work collaboratively, and adapt to uncertainty.

Turning knowledge into practice

Despite the recognised importance of these competencies, the study identified gaps in collaborative problem-solving and the integration of interdisciplinary skills into current curricula. Bridging these gaps will require closer connections between education, scientific research, forest management practice, and societal expectations.

The authors suggest different approaches for different educational levels. At the undergraduate level, IFM principles and selected competencies can be integrated into existing courses. Master's programmes and continuing education offer greater opportunities for specialised modules, interdisciplinary learning, and more comprehensive IFM training.

According to authors, international exchange between educational institutions also presents an opportunity to share experiences, develop teaching approaches, and establish a common understanding of IFM across Europe.

Building resilient forests starts with education

Ultimately, the wider adoption of Integrative Forest Management depends not only on management guidelines and scientific advances, but also on the people responsible for putting them into practice. Forestry education must evolve alongside changing ecosystems and societal expectations.

By strengthening ecological knowledge, resilience thinking, creativity, and collaboration, higher education can better prepare forestry professionals to make informed decisions in an uncertain future. The study provides a foundation for aligning curricula with these needs and highlights an important opportunity: investing in forestry education today is an essential step towards more resilient, biodiverse, and multifunctional forests tomorrow.