Integrated approaches to tackle quarantine tree pests and pathogens

Purpose and goal:

The project brought together the consortium (academic partners and key stakeholders) in a physical meeting in order to co-develop the project for Stage 2 proposal to the Horizon Europe call "Tackling outbreaks of plant pests".

The workshop with representatives of all project partners facilitated cross-sectoral co-production processes needed to address stakeholder needs that will ensure the adoption and tailoring of IPM knowledge to the wider policy landscape, and promote a change in practice. Expected results and effects:

The short-term effect of the project would result in a winning application of the EU Horizon Europe project THREAT. The long-term effect of the THREAT project will be increased preparedness of European forests to deal with pests and pathogens through the development of, and increased access to, new tools, knowledge, applications and solutions for stakeholders and by providing effective and acceptable IPM-based strategies for sustainable forest protection in Europe.

Approach and implementation: A physical meeting of the consortium partners was organized in Malmö consisting of 18 participants from 10 countries.

Workshop activities aimed to 1) discuss the current and ideal future forests, desired tools and measures, and how certification looks in the future, and 2) how the project can achieve the outcomes and long-term impact. A writing workshop followed with a smaller group of partners. A second writing workshop was held to finalize the EU Horizon proposal.