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Forest biological diversity refers to all life forms found in forests, such as trees, plants, animals, fungi and microbes, and their genetic variation. It is determined by various factors, including soils, climate, topography, management and disturbances that are either natural or induced by humans.

Main messages

Europe's forests are home to highly diverse ecosystems, with a rich variety of fauna and flora.

Nearly half of Europe’s native tree species are threatened, per IUCN's Red List, underscoring the need for stronger conservation.

Sustainable forest management practices are key in maintaining and enhancing biodiversity.

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Sustaining Europe’s forest biodiversity: Preservation, management and restoration

Europe’s forests represent a rich variety of unique natural heritage. This diversity of ecosystems provides homes for countless plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms, playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and supporting the welfare of societies and economies.

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Mapping and protecting primary and old-growth forests: Europe’s imperative conservation task

Majestic and complex, lush and biodiverse: the way we think about primary and old-growth forests reflects their awe-inspiring presence in people’s collective imagination. In the same measure that they are distinctive and unique, these relatively undisturbed forests are also rare and rapidly disappearing in Europe.

  • The Birds and Habitats Directives provide a strong legislative framework for all EU countries to protect the most valuable and threatened biodiversity. 

  • The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. A long-term plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems for the benefit of people, climate and the planet. It formulates targets for protection and strict protection of habitats. 

  • The EU Nature Restoration Regulation aims to restore ecosystems, habitats and species across the EU’s land and sea areas. 

  • The EU Forest Strategy for 2030 sets a vision and concrete actions to improve the quantity and quality of EU forests and strengthen their protection, restoration and resilience.

  • Under the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Member States must legally protect at least 30 % of EU land area, of which one‑third should be under strict protection; It considers both nationally protected areas and Natura 2000 sites. See assessment here.
  • Article 12 of the Nature Restoration Regulation requires an increasing national trend by 2030 in key forest indicators such as standing and lying deadwood, proportion of uneven‑aged stands, forest connectivity and the common forest bird index. See assessment here.
  • The Nature Restoration Regulation requires EU Member States to develop restoration measures, so that by 2030, at least 30 % of the total area of all habitat types, currently not in good conditions, will be considered as ‘good’. By 2040 this should be achieved on at least 60% and by 2050 on at least 90% of those areas. See assessment here.