Forests Beyond Borders
Forests Beyond Borders 2.0: Mapping and Protecting the Last Primary Forests of the Western Balkans
The Western Balkans still harbor some of Europe’s last remaining tracks of primary and old-growth forests, ecosystems that have developed over centuries with minimal human disturbance. These forests are not only ecological treasures but also vital allies in the fight against biodiversity loss and climate change. Yet, many of them remain unidentified, unmapped, and unprotected, leaving them vulnerable to unsustainable logging and mismanagement.
Building on the foundation of the first Forests Beyond Borders project (2021–2024), the newly launched Forests Beyond Borders 2.0 aims to secure strict protection for these invaluable forests across five countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia.
Anchored in New EU Guidelines
This ambitious follow-up project directly aligns with the EU’s 2023 “Commission Guidelines for defining, mapping, monitoring and strictly protecting primary and old-growth forests.” These guidelines provide the legal and scientific basis for establishing robust protection mechanisms, offering a powerful policy lever for both EU and non-EU countries in the region.
A Three-Year, Three-Pillar Effort
Running from March 2025 to February 2028, Forests Beyond Borders 2.0 is structured around three strategic work packages, each addressing a core challenge in forest conservation:
- Scientific Mapping and Recognition of Primary Forests
Using remote sensing and field inventories, regional partners trained and guided by forestry experts will identify and map unknown or unconfirmed primary and old-growth forests, hectare by hectare. The process follows the EU Commission’s guidelines and will result in peer-reviewed scientific publications. - Protecting Natural Disturbance Regimes
Natural processes such as windthrow and bark beetle outbreaks are vital components of healthy forest ecosystems. This work package aims to end the widespread practice of salvage logging by raising awareness among the public and engaging directly with ministries and forestry authorities. - Public Engagement Through National Lighthouse Sites
One forest per country will be selected as a high-profile “lighthouse case” for strict protection. These flagship sites will be used to raise awareness, build public support, and promote the project’s broader goals through targeted communication campaigns.
A Strengthened Regional Network
Five regional partners from the Western Balkans will implement most of the project’s on-the-ground activities. Their work is supported by EuroNatur, which leads overarching coordination and policy advocacy efforts, and a new expert partner: The Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences of the Czech University of Life Sciences (CULS). Drawing from its successful experience mapping and protecting Slovakia’s primary forests, CULS will provide scientific guidance and technical expertise.
A Shared Responsibility, A Shared Future
Forests Beyond Borders 2.0 is not only a conservation project, it is a regional call to action. Its outcomes will contribute to the EU Biodiversity Strategy and support non-EU countries in aligning with the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. By building transboundary cooperation and advancing forest protection standards, this project marks a critical step toward securing the ecological heritage of Southeast Europe for future generations.
Forest Beyond Borders
“Forest Beyond Borders” is a 2.5-year initiative dedicated to assessing the state of primary and old-growth forests (PF/OGF) across the Western Balkans. The project focuses on developing a harmonized identification method and tool to map these critical forests, conducting a legal analysis of their protection, and implementing measures to ensure their conservation where necessary.
Spanning Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, the project aims to establish a standardized approach to identifying and safeguarding primary and old-growth forests across all participating countries.
Goals:
- Support the identification of primary and old-growth forests (PF/OGF) using remote sensing techniques.
- Conduct ground-truthing for the identification and verification of PF/OGF.
- Analyzing the legal framework and conducting investigations related to forest protection.
- Strengthen public outreach and aid in the creation of a forest protection network.
Project Partners:
EuroNatur
Duration:
01.06.2022 – 31.12.2024
Countries:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia
Contact person:
Klejn Ngracani
