Pilots of Long-Term Climate Impact Forest Monitoring Sites: Linking Stand-Level Information and Remote Sensing

The focus of this call includes linking stand-level information and remote sensing, establishing pilot monitoring plots/sites linked to existing forest monitoring networks, providing spatial representativeness across different forest regions of Europe, implementing drone- and aircraft-based proximate sensing to study tree and forest structure and function, conducting aircraft-based imaging spectroscopy flights and related physiology and biochemistry ground-truthing, and contributing data to the Europe-wide ForestWard Observatory for climate impact assessment on forests.

European forests cover over one-third of the land area and play a crucial role in climate regulation, biodiversity habitats, and raw material provision. Climate change challenges such as heat waves, droughts, and disturbances have increased tree mortality and altered forest productivity, necessitating comprehensive monitoring. Long-term forest monitoring programs provide essential data, but many monitoring networks were originally designed to assess air pollution impacts and were not linked to remote sensing data. This call aims to enhance the capability of these networks by integrating stand-level information with high-resolution remote sensing data, including hyperspectral imaging from aircraft and satellite sensors.

Successful projects are expected to coordinate imaging spectroscopy flights over at least two superset sites in different biogeographical regions during peak greenness periods, along with simultaneous foliar sampling and physiological measurements. These efforts aim to validate and scale forest functional variables from leaf to landscape levels. Ground measurements include pigment analyses, chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange, leaf water potential, and reflectance indices, which support detailed assessments of forest health and stress responses. Projects must follow standardized procedures to enable data comparability and contribute open-access data to the ForestWard Observatory.

Eligible applicants include legal entities or consortia eligible under the European Union Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Program. Funding up to 145,000 euros is available, with only one project to be funded under this call. Projects should start in early 2026 and conclude within 18 months by July 2027. The application must comply with specified eligibility criteria, submission formats, and deadlines outlined in the grant guidelines.

This grant opportunity provides a critical platform to enhance Europe’s forest monitoring infrastructure by integrating cutting-edge remote sensing technologies with detailed ground observations, enabling better understanding and management of forests in the face of climate change.

For more information, visit EFI.