Learning by Doing: Forest Projects Share Lessons on Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement Across Europe

How can forest projects engage citizens, landowners, communities and local decision-makers in meaningful ways? That was the central question of the Citizen and Stakeholder Engagement: Lessons Learned online workshop, organised within the FORWARDS project. Bringing together project teams, researchers and practitioners from across Europe, the workshop provided a platform to exchange experiences, highlight successful approaches, and openly discuss challenges in stakeholder and citizen engagement. The meeting served as a forum for collective learning among FORWARDS partners and pilot projects.

When opening the workshop, Nina Horstmann from Prospex Institute and Gesche Schifferdecker from the European Forest Institute outlined the objectives of the session. The event focused on sharing practical experiences from FORWARDS-funded projects and exploring how engagement activities can support climate-smart forestry, restoration and forest resilience. Researchers Elaine Parlade and Gerhard Weiss from BOKU University explained that stakeholder and citizen engagement are integral elements of FORWARDS, supporting the development of the Forest World Observatory and ensuring that local perspectives are reflected in future forest management approaches. Lessons generated through pilot projects will ultimately feed into stakeholder engagement strategies, toolkits and scientific outputs.

The first project presentation came from the Mimonte initiative in eastern Spain. Presented by Wim Cambien, the project operates across several Mediterranean locations affected by climate change, wildfire risks and limited participation in forest management. Rather than focusing solely on technical restoration measures, Mimonte sought to strengthen people's connection to forests through outdoor activities, tree planting, educational events and public dialogue. Different audiences, including schoolchildren, families, tourists and vulnerable groups, participated in activities tailored to their interests and needs. The project also organised consultations bringing together landowners, authorities and organisations to discuss practical barriers to active forest management and identify long-term solutions. As presented, the project engaged volunteers directly in restoration work, reached tens of thousands of people through communication activities, secured financial commitments through carbon-financing mechanisms and generated follow-up agreements for continued forest management. A key lesson was the importance of planning for continuity from the outset and ensuring that engagement activities are followed by concrete support and long-term collaboration.

The second presentation highlighted the Living Forests (Montes Vivos) initiative in Galicia, Spain. Presented by Joám Pim Evans, the project works with common land communities managing large areas of forest. One of its central challenges is helping communities imagine positive futures despite concerns about climate change, wildfires and demographic change. To address this, the project developed a participatory visioning methodology. Participants were invited to share hopes for their forests 30 years into the future, drawing inspiration from personal memories and experiences. Through facilitated discussions, mapping exercises and collective storytelling, communities developed shared visions and then worked backwards to identify the actions needed to achieve them. The resulting action plans helped connect long-term aspirations with immediate management decisions. The approach emphasised ownership, creativity and optimism, creating what the initiative described as a "lighthouse narrative" that could guide future action.

Elena Musca from the Romanian Kali Lab project presented a different engagement model centred on citizen science. Located in the Călimani National Park, the project aims to test climate-smart forest management options while involving forest owners, park authorities, schools and local communities in decision-making. Stakeholders participate through advisory boards, field-based consultations and nature walks rather than conventional meeting-room discussions. A digital application allows citizens to contribute observations on forest conditions, while schoolchildren learn directly in the forest and help collect ecological data. Early lessons highlighted the value of working through trusted actors such as teachers and park rangers and integrating project activities into existing community events. However, the project team also identified challenges related to maintaining participation over time and ensuring that digital tools remain accessible for all user groups. 

The final presentation came from Austria's Clibifo initiative, which focuses on transforming vulnerable spruce plantations into more resilient future forests. Julia Kaufman explained how previous stakeholder engagement activities had demonstrated the value of addressing locally relevant issues, particularly wildlife management. Discussions around these topics successfully attracted forest owners, hunters, municipalities and conservation organisations that might not normally participate in forest dialogues. The project has since established regular stakeholder roundtables and a forest-focused partner network that help sustain collaboration beyond the lifespan of individual projects. Participants emphasised that long-term monitoring and continuous dialogue are essential because meaningful changes in forests often unfold over decades rather than years.

The discussions that followed revealed common challenges across countries and project types. Participants repeatedly noted the difficulty of engaging people who are traditionally hard to reach and maintaining interest after initial project activities. Several contributors stressed the importance of working through trusted local organisations and community leaders who already possess credibility and established relationships. Others highlighted the value of identifying locally relevant topics, such as wildfire prevention or wildlife management, as effective entry points for broader conversations.

A recurring theme was the need to adapt engagement methods to different audiences. Participants stressed that one-size-fits-all approaches rarely succeed. Instead, activities should respond to local cultures, capacities and motivations. Practical support, such as helping landowners navigate administrative procedures, was highlighted as an important but often overlooked engagement strategy. Trust, personal relationships and local ownership were repeatedly identified as essential ingredients for long-term success.

Participants also shared what they described as their "secret success ingredients". Suggestions ranged from creating welcoming social environments involving food, music and informal interactions to using data-driven storytelling that clearly demonstrates the value of forests. Others highlighted the importance of listening carefully to stakeholder feedback and adapting formats accordingly. Creative and arts-based approaches, including drawing and storytelling, were also recognised as effective ways to connect people emotionally with landscapes and encourage participation.

Overall, the workshop demonstrated that successful engagement is built not only on information, but also on trust, creativity, local ownership and long-term relationships.