European Regional Development Fund (ERDF): Early Forecasting and Monitoring System for Genetic Biodiversity Loss in Keystone Forest Tree Species

Name and code

Early Forecasting and Monitoring System for Genetic Biodiversity Loss in Keystone Forest Tree Species

Duration

2025-2028

Funders and partners

Total budget of the project is 1,915 million euros, out of which European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Interreg Baltic Sea Region) provides 80%.
RMK budget is 102 856 euros, with 20% self-financing.

Project lead is Vytautas Magnus University.

Introduction

Forests resilience is compromised by strong and concerted pressure of global warming stressors. Forest resilience largely depends on high genetic diversity of key-stone forest tree species. Our consortium intends to team up scientists, sectoral agencies, forest owners and NGOs to create, pilot and implement a durable, transnational genetic diversity monitoring (GM) system that could effectively estimate genetic biodiversity and timely warn on coming declines for keystone forest tree species. The keystone tree species: Quercus robur, Picea abies, Tilia cordata and Fraxinus excelsior. These species were selected as having the greatest impact on resilience and biodiversity of Baltic Sea Region forests.

The GM system in each country consists of (a) network of GM plots for keystone forest tree species, (b) GM methods based on DNA genotyping, phenotyping and remote sensing, (c) common action plan for genetic diversity enrichment in case of detected declines, and (d) national legal implementation. GM is based on comparison of genetic diversity between generations of trees.

Contacts

Kristi Parro
RMK department of development and climate, head of partnerships
kristi.parro@rmk.ee