Reconciling the different uses and values of deadwood in the European Green Deal

Abstract

The growing demand for woody biomass to meet the environmental and climate objectives of the European Green Deal raises concerns about the capacity of forest ecosystems to sustain their diverse services and functions. Deadwood, an often-overlooked source of biomass, exemplifies this dilemma, yet the evidence needed to enhance its management is sparse. Here, we put the role of deadwood into perspective through a literature review and comparison of estimates in managed and unmanaged forests. We demonstrate that deadwood intersects many overlapping and sometimes conflicting policies, playing a multifaceted role in the bioeconomy, biodiversity conservation, soil health, fire mitigation, bioenergy, and carbon storage. Given the increasing pressure on deadwood and the ecosystem services it provides, we argue that coherent and mutually supportive policies are needed to develop multifunctional pathways that reconcile deadwood management with biodiversity, bioenergy, and climate objectives. Therefore, we suggest that harmonized data and monitoring are essential, along with transdisciplinary collaboration, to identify trade-offs between biomass uses and values and ensure the maintenance of functional forest ecosystems.