Article by Dr. Stefanie Linser (BOKU)

Across Europe, forests are expected to do more than ever: protect wildlife, cope with climate change, provide many benefits to people, and stay healthy in a rapidly changing environment. Meeting all these demands means working with the natural complexity of forests rather than trying to simplify it.

In the TRANSFORMIT project, Integrative Forest Management (IFM) is understood as a way of managing forests that brings together biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation, while still allowing forests to provide a wide range of ecosystem services. IFM takes inspiration from natural forest structures and processes and is applied at different scales – from individual trees to whole landscapes. It also uses a mix of management levels, including places that are intentionally left unmanaged, to help forests function well and remain resilient.

Turning this vision into practice, however, demands something essential: a way to measure progress, monitor outcomes, and report results consistently across regions and policy levels. This is where the TRANSFORMIT project’s 17 indicators come in. 

A management approach built for a changing world 

IFM moves beyond single-objective forestry. It recognises forests as dynamic systems whose resilience depends on forest’s diversity (e.g. mix of tree, shrub, and wildlife species), structural complexity (e.g. layered canopies and fallen logs that create varied habitats), and natural processes (e.g. decay, nutrient recycling, and natural regeneration after disturbance). By weaving together ecological and social perspectives, IFM aims to balance the provision of wood and non-wood products with biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, water regulation, and climate adaptation. 

Yet even a well-defined concept must be made operational. Without measurable indicators, IFM risks remaining an ambition rather than shaping real decision-making. 

From 80 candidates to 17 key indicators: A collaborative journey 

Developing the indicator system began with a broad exploration of around 80 potential indicators identified through international frameworks, earlier projects, and existing certification schemes. But selecting the right ones required local knowledge and hands-on experience. 

Across seven Living Labs, stakeholders – from forest managers to policymakers, researchers, conservationists, and community representatives – worked together in iterative workshops. They debated feasibility, relevance, trade-offs, regional differences and thresholds. Through this multi-stage, co-creative process, the long list steadily refined into a focused set of 17 meaningful, measurable, and usable indicators. These indicators reflect not just scientific priorities, but the day-to-day realities of forest management across Europe. 

Indicators designed for practice and policy 

Each IFM indicator we finally agreed upon is supported by a detailed factsheet explaining its rationale, characteristics, and relevance. The factsheets outline measurement units at stand and national levels, point to data sources, identify targets and thresholds, and highlight potential trade-offs or regional considerations. 

This ensures the indicators are not just theoretically robust but rather operational tools that forestry professionals can use in practice. 

The system also stands out for its integration and scalability. Together, the indicators address ecosystem services, biodiversity, resilience, and climate adaptation while aligning directly with major policy frameworks including the EU Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and the New EU Forest Strategy 2030. This alignment strengthens dialogue between practitioners on the ground and policymakers, shaping Europe’s environmental agenda. 

Looking ahead: Indicators for the future 

The role of the indicators does not end with monitoring. In the next phase of TRANSFORMIT, they will feed into Decision Support Tools, modelling approaches, and interactive digital twins of forests. This means the indicators will become more than descriptive. They allow managers to explore scenarios, weigh decisions, and plan for climate and biodiversity challenges, and help to further bridge the gap between understanding the present and shaping a resilient future. 

Why the co-creation process matters 

The strength of this indicator system lies not only in its technical design but in how it was created. By embedding stakeholder participation throughout and grounding the work in seven real-world Living Labs across Europe, the indicators reflect practical constraints, local priorities, and diverse ecological conditions. 

This approach builds trust, relevance, and ownership, which are key ingredients for successful implementation across regions and management intensities. 

The backbone of Integrative Forest Management 

These 17 indicators form a shared foundation for understanding whether IFM measures are achieving their aims. They offer transparency, support evidence-based decision making, and provide a common reference for both local action and European-level reporting. Most importantly, they offer a reliable way to connect policy ambitions with on-the-ground practice. They form the backbone of Integrative Forest Management: Measurable. Meaningful. Mission-driven. 

And they help ensure that the forests supporting our societies today remain resilient, diverse, and full of biodiversity for generations to come. 

If you’d like to explore the indicators in detail, TRANSFORMIT project’s website hosts all 17 factsheets in an accessible, practical format.