The joint final event of the FOREST4EU and ResAlliance projects was successfully held in Vinkovci, Croatia, hosted by Competence Centre Ltd. for research and development (CEKOM/Centar kompetencija d.o.o. za istraživanje i razvoj). This two-day conference brought together leading experts, stakeholders, and innovators to showcase the key findings and innovations dedicated to enhancing the resilience and sustainability of Europe’s forests and the wider bioeconomy.

Key Event Highlights and Achievements

The event featured a rich agenda designed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange across the forestry and bioeconomy sectors. The main key aspects included:

• Showcasing cutting-edge innovations: participants discovered the latest tools, innovations, and best practices developed by both projects, focusing on advanced solutions for sustainable forest management and strategies for building a robust, circular bioeconomy.
• Networking and discussion: the conference facilitated dedicated networking sessions, engaging round tables, and dynamic panel discussions. Attendees—including researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals—actively exchanged ideas and shared inspirational best practices aimed at building a more sustainable forestry sector for future generations.

Day 1 focus: panel discussion, thematic sessions and field trip: the first day commenced with a compelling panel discussion and parallel thematic sessions focused on critical challenges such as climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation. This was followed by a highly informative field trip to the beautiful Spačva Oak Forest in Vukovar-Srijem County, providing valuable, firsthand insights into local forest management techniques and principles.

Day 2 focus: collaboration and agroforestry: the second day featured a key collaborative session where numerous experts presented their projects’ core objectives and most recent results. The event concluded with a final study visit to a vineyard site, offering a practical exploration of sustainable agroforestry practices, specifically focusing on the integration of crops and trees to enhance biodiversity and climate adaptation.

The professional organization and excellent hosting by CEKOM were instrumental to the success of this final event, marking a significant milestone in the collaborative efforts toward a more sustainable and resilient future for European forests.