Horizon Scan of Issues Affecting UK Forest Management within 50 Years

The 15 horizon scan issues identified were as follows

1. Catastrophic forest ecosystem collapse

2. Increased drought and flooding change the social costs and benefits of trees

3. Forest management becomes more challenging due to changing seasonal working windows

4. Protecting and enhancing soil microbial ecology becomes a higher priority

5. Viruses and viroids emerge as pathogens of increasing importance for trees

6. eDNA revolutionizes our understanding of forest ecosystems

7. Trees are at the heart of future urban planning

8. The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) drives transparency and investment in nature-positive management

9. Natural capital funding streams are greatly upscaled

10. New technologies facilitate widespread adoption of smart silviculture

11. New technologies improve worker health and safety

12. New wood product markets stimulate more active forest management

13. UK commercial forest resources may not match future value chains

14. Unpredictable supply and demand dynamics in global wood product markets

15. International commitments will spotlight ecosystem integrity and drive monitoring efforts