High population densities, strong economic activities and climate change, place natural environments in North West Europe (NWE) under increasing pressure. The sustainable management of these natural resources is of vital importance for the advancement of the entire NWE zone.

Chinese delegation from the Yunnan Academy of Forestry visits the ForeStClim experimental site "Merzalben", 18 November 2008

Forests cover about 17.4 million hectares of NWE and, as long-lived ecosystems,
will be especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Adaptation strategies
are necessary to preserve the present diversity of forests and to use them
sustainably in a changed climate.

ForeStClim is an environmental project concerned with forests and climate change,
and is supported by the European Union. Partners from 21 organisations across
the UK, Germany, France, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg are combining efforts
to develop transnational forest management strategies for the future.