Early-career professionals from across Southeastern Europe gathered this May for the EFI Young Leadership Programme – Mediterranean 2025 (YLPMED 2025), a capacity-building initiative led by the European Forest Institute (EFI). The programme is designed to equip young participants with the knowledge and leadership skills required to tackle complex challenges in forest management under climate change. Among the key contributors to this edition were two lead researchers from the OptFORESTS project, Dr Marjana Westergren and Dr Todora Rogelja, who stressed the critical role of forest genetic resources (FGR) and forest reproductive material (FRM) in shaping the future of Europe’s forests.
On 6 May, Dr Marjana Westergren (Slovenian Forestry Institute), who leads the work package in OptFORESTS on "Next-generation common garden trials to promote biodiversity and climate change adaptation," opened a scientific session on FRM, drawing attention to the genetic foundations of forest resilience. FRM, which includes seeds, seedlings, and cuttings used for regeneration, is derived from basic material such as seed stands and orchards. Westergren explained how this material is classified according to levels of genetic control, ranging from source-identified to tested categories. Each classification plays a vital role in ensuring the adaptability and productivity of future forests.
Her presentation focused on how genetic diversity supports forest health, enabling trees to cope with pests, diseases, and environmental changes. She cautioned that human interventions, such as collecting seeds from a limited number of parent trees or breeding for uniform traits, can reduce this diversity. Such practices may disrupt natural selection processes, potentially compromising long-term forest resilience. During her presentation, Westergren emphasised "the need for gene conservation units, wide genetic representation in FRM, and management approaches that respect evolutionary dynamics".
Adding a policy perspective, Dr Todora Rogelja (University of Padua), who contributes in the OptFORESTS work package on "FGR-related economy-governance-practice for biodiversity and ecosystem services in Europe", spoke on 9 May in a session dedicated to European forest policy-making, European and national regulations for FRM. She outlined major regulatory frameworks, including the OECD Scheme for international FRM trade and the EU’s Council Directive 1999/105/EC, which regulates FRM production and certification in Member States. Rogelja also presented the European Commission’s 2023 new FRM regulation proposal (expected to be adopted in 2025 or 2026), which introduces stronger traceability requirements, national contingency planning, and expanded species coverage to support climate adaptation.
Rogelja shared findings from an expert survey conducted within OptFORESTS, highlighting Horizon Europe and the Forest Genetic Resources Strategy for Europe as the most influential policy tools. A comparative analysis of the FRM systems in Slovenia and Serbia further illustrated differences in regulatory approaches, certification systems, and market structures. While Slovenia applies harmonised EU rules, Serbia operates under a nationally administered system with more centralised oversight.
Together, the two researchers demonstrated how scientific knowledge and policy frameworks must work together to conserve the genetic diversity of European forests. Their participation reflects OptFORESTS’ commitment to advancing biodiversity-smart, climate-resilient forest management throughout the region.
