From May 27th to 29th, 2025, the FOREST4EU project conducted a productive study visit to Slovenia. Professionally organized by the Slovenian Forestry Institute (GIS), the visit, focused on sustainable forest management, wood mobilization, and the integration of innovative digital tools. The visit provided valuable insights into Slovenia’s unique forest landscape, its robust forest management practices, and the challenges and opportunities faced by forest owners.

The visit began with an introduction to GIS, a public research institute established in 1947. Matevž Triplat, head of the “forest technique and economics department,” highlighted GIS’s extensive research programs, 13 laboratories, and significant contribution to forest genetic reserves. Slovenia boasts a significant annual wood increment of over 8 million cubic meters, with most exports being roundwood.

Francesca Giannetti (University of Florence, FOREST4EU project coordinator) presented the FOREST4EU project emphasizing the critical role of Operational Groups (OGs) as a link to the base of the agricultural pyramid, acknowledging the funding challenges for OGs in Italy. Matevž Triplat also detailed the main topics, challenges, and needs addressed by Innovation Topic Hub 1 (ITHub1) in wood mobilization.

Rok Pisek from the Slovenia Forest Service (SFS) provided a comprehensive overview of Slovenia’s forests. The SFS, employing 770 people and primarily state-funded, manages a country that is the third most forested in Europe. 77% of Slovenian forests are privately owned by a huge amount of forest owners, with an average age of 63. Slovenia has a long history of forest management, with the first plans dating back to the 18th century and clear-cutting prohibited since 1947. The SFS prepares all forest management plans, renewed every 10 years, ensuring sustainable, multipurpose, and close-to-nature forest management. Challenges include low interest in forest management and a lack of organization among forest owners.

Mihael Koprivnikar from the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia (CAFS), a farmer-based organization with over 109,000 members, discussed their role in providing technical, legal, and economic support to farmers and forest owners. CAFS has also taken on the management of PEFC certification in Slovenia.

The second day addressed the aftermath of a major forest fire three years prior that damaged 3,000 hectares. Reforestation efforts are underway with a mix of deciduous trees and black pine, which is fire-resistant and has economic value. An invasive species, Ailanthus altissima, has become prevalent in the burnt areas. This field trip took participants in Cerje, Lokvica, and Bled Lake, Bled, both located in Slovenia,

Luca Cadez from the University of Udine, Italy, presented the Operational Group PRI.FOR.MAN. This project tackles challenges such as cadastral fragmentation and a lack of comprehensive wood information through a Decision Support System (DSS) that integrates various spatial layers, including spectral and geomorphological indexes, and assesses accessibility and exploitation costs.

Then, Francesca Giannetti presented the GO SURF operational Group, that focuses on developing a decision support system for sustainable forest planning. A key concept is the estimation of ecosystem services to bolster sustainable forest management at the company level. The group also emphasizes the dissemination of knowledge and training for personnel involved in forest management bodies and companies within the forest-wood supply chain.

Matevž Triplat then introduced the “Moj Gozdar” OG, which has developed a multi-tool system to support small forest owners. This system represents a significant step towards digitizing and streamlining forest management for small-scale owners, offering practical solutions for common challenges in wood mobilization and contractor engagement.

Presented tools:

• Contractor suitability assessment: a multi-level system to evaluate contractors based on legislative compliance, professional qualifications (28 indicators), and user feedback.
• Digital forest management plans: an online platform that generates PDF versions of forest management plans, allowing owners to enter costs, manage supply chains, and connect with contractors.
• Draft contracts: the system facilitates communication between forest owners and contractors and generates draft contracts, addressing a significant problem in the field.
• Diligence system and documentation: the system helps forest owners fulfill diligence requirements by guiding them through questionnaires and storing necessary legislative papers in their online profiles.
• Roundwood quality assessment: a tool incorporated to help forest owners measure and assess the quality of their roundwood, enabling them to solicit bids from contractors.

This fruitful and engaging visit culminated in a comprehensive briefing on the presented OGs. This was followed by an interactive round table designed to collaboratively summarize and discuss the key messages faced during the preceding days. A central focus of this session was to actively explore and foster opportunities for future collaborations among all participants, recognizing that shared efforts are crucial for advancing sustainable forest management and wood mobilization initiatives.