European Forestry Pulse #72 🌲

Hello,

On Tuesday, Europe's highest trade court confirmed that forest biomass stays in the EU Taxonomy. Today, Europe's official statistician confirms something even more fundamental.

In 23 of 27 EU member states, forests grow more wood than gets harvested.

That's not an estimate. That's Eurostat.

Here's what's moving European forestry this week:

Eurostat published its latest forestry data on March 20. The numbers confirm a structural reality that most Europeans don't believe: across 23 of 27 EU member states, annual forest growth exceeds annual removals. Data was unavailable for Greece, Spain, and Italy. Among countries with data, only Estonia fell below the line.

Trees are being added faster than they're being taken out. In almost every EU country we can measure.

Eurostat's data covers the balance between net annual increment (how much wood grows each year) and total fellings (how much gets harvested). In the vast majority of EU countries, that balance is positive. Forests are getting bigger and denser.

This isn't new. European forests have been growing since the 1950s. Forest area expanded from roughly 145 million hectares in 1990 to about 159 million hectares by 2020. That's an area the size of Greece, added in three decades.

But the pace has slowed. The most recent data shows near-zero net expansion. Climate stress, bark beetle damage, and storms are eating into the growth buffer. The seesaw we've been tracking — from Germany's carbon sink recovery (EFP #69) to Ireland's storm damage (EFP #70) — plays out in these numbers.

The timing is perfect. Tomorrow at 10:00 CET, FOREST EUROPE launches the State of Europe's Forests 2025 (SoEF) — the most comprehensive assessment of European forests published every five years.

SoEF will give us the full picture: forest area trends, growing stock, carbon balance, biodiversity indicators, ownership patterns, and economic contribution. It covers 46 countries across the pan-European region — far beyond the EU-27.

This is the dataset that governments, investors, and policy-makers reference for the next half-decade. If you work in European forestry, this report shapes your operating environment.

Here's the paradox. Eurostat confirms forests are growing. SoEF will confirm it again with five years of data. And most Europeans still think forests are shrinking.

A European Commission survey found that the vast majority of EU citizens believe forest area is declining. The opposite is true. European forests grew by 58,390 km² between 2005 and 2020 alone. That's roughly 1,500 football pitches per day.

This is not a data problem. It's a communication failure. Forestry has the numbers. It doesn't have the narrative. It didn’t have effective methods to tell their story. Until now.

If you manage forests: The growth-exceeds-harvest balance is your strongest argument. Use it. When stakeholders question sustainability, point them to Eurostat.

If you invest in forestry: The biological growth engine is intact. But the buffer is shrinking. Climate disturbances are reducing the gap between growth and harvest. That changes the risk profile over time.

If you work in policy: SoEF 2025 drops tomorrow. Read it. The data in that report will drive EU forest policy through 2030. Sources: Eurostat — International Day of Forests 2026 News Release | Eurostat — Forests, Forestry and Logging | FOREST EUROPE — State of Europe's Forests 2025 Launch

Austria's log price index recorded its largest increase in a year. Timber-Online reported on March 18 that prices are rising across the country. The momentum is strongest in the northern half but southern markets are following.

Why it matters: Austria is Central Europe's sawlog price bellwether. When Austrian prices move, neighbouring markets feel it. This comes while global markets are cooling — US lumber prices declining from all-time highs, China imports crashing 29%.

The context: German softwood log prices were already at record highs (EFP #62, #63). Austrian prices following the same direction confirms a broader Central European trend: strong domestic demand, tight supply.

The takeaway: If you sell logs in Central Europe, this is your market. If you buy them, budgets need adjusting. Source: Timber-Online — Austrian Log Price Index Shows Biggest Increase in Twelve Months

American sawmill employment dropped to its lowest point in thirteen years. Higher softwood lumber duty rates through 2025 drove down imports. But domestic sawmill output was unchanged. Residential construction demand remains weak.

Why it matters: This is a structural signal, not a blip. US sawmills are producing the same volume with fewer workers — automation is replacing headcount. For European exporters watching the US market, this means American mills are getting more competitive, not less.

The transatlantic angle: Section 232 tariffs (10% on all softwood imports) remain in effect. Canadian duties are brutal — up to 58% combined for some producers. European lumber faces a 15% cap. The US market is hard to enter, but the tariff wall hits Canada hardest.

The takeaway: The US is not getting easier for European exporters. But Canada's pain is worse. Watch for displaced Canadian volumes looking for other markets — including Europe. Source: Lesprom — U.S. Sawmill Employment Falls to Lowest Level Since 2013 | NAHB — Lumber Imports and Employment Fall

Weyerhaeuser completed the sale of its British Columbia forest tenure to Gorman Group for $120 million. The deal includes Tree Farm Licence 59 near Oliver and replaceable forest licences in the Merritt and Okanagan timber supply areas.

Why it matters: Weyerhaeuser — the largest private timberland owner in North America — is pulling back from B.C. This follows years of rising operating costs, regulatory complexity, and the softwood lumber tariff squeeze. When the biggest player exits a region, it signals structural change.

The takeaway: Gorman Group picks up significant tenure at what may be a cyclical low. For European investors watching North American timberland, this is a data point: pricing, structure, and the direction of institutional capital. Source: Lesprom — Weyerhaeuser Completes $120 Million B.C. Tenure Sale to Gorman Group

When Storm Johannes left 1.5 million cubic metres of timber on the ground, Swedish forest company Kopparfors Skogar responded with a five-step digital workflow. Helicopters gave the overview. A machine-learning model prioritised areas by severity. Global Forester's drone platform delivered tract-level detail. Harvesting machines were dispatched to the most critical sites first. Daily AI-generated reports kept the operation current.

Why it matters: This is one of the clearest examples of forestry technology applied under real pressure. No single tool solved the problem. Each one handled what it does best and fed the next step.

The takeaway: The companies that build these workflows now will be better prepared when the next storm hits. In a changing climate, the next storm is never far away. If you missed it, the full analysis is in Boreal Tech Brief #036 — Axel Wretemark's excellent forestry tech newsletter. Source: Boreal Tech Brief #036 — Storm, Drones, and the Workflow in Between

Ten chapters. Fifteen tools. €39.

The first practical communication guide for foresters — in English. Why 54% of Europeans think forests are shrinking. How to answer the hard questions. What to say when a journalist calls.

Today's Big Story is a perfect example. Eurostat says forests are growing. The public doesn't believe it. Chapter 2 of the Playbook explains exactly why — and Chapter 8 gives you the tools to fix it.

Download the State of Europe's Forests 2025 report.

It launches today. It's free. And it will shape European forest policy until 2030.

Fifteen minutes:

This is the data your government will use. Your industry association will reference it. Your investors will ask about it. Know it first.

The brief is free. The briefing is not.

ForestryBrief publishes verified intelligence — free, three times a week, in 25+ countries. When you need that intelligence applied to your specific situation, that's a ForestryBriefing.

Intelligence — Investment due diligence, market intelligence, EUDR compliance, cross-sector risk analysis, background verification in three languages.

Communication — Strategy, trade publication articles, stakeholder messaging, newsletters that people actually open. EN | DE | HU.

Live — Conference presentations, panel moderation, keynotes. Next: WAN-IFRA World Printers Summit, Rotterdam, October 2026.

First briefing guarantee: if it doesn't deliver intelligence you can act on, you don't pay.

→ See what a ForestryBriefing looks like | [email protected]

Until Tuesday!

Wish you all the best: Peter

🤝 Need help with forestry communication, intelligence, or due diligence? See what we offer → ForestryBriefing

📩 Got this email forwarded to you? Subscribe to ForestryBrief here.

📚 Missed an issue? Browse the ForestryBrief archive

P.S. What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing in forestry right now?
Hit reply and let me know — I read every message personally.

P. P. S. Know a forest professional who’s drowning in EUDR complexity or missing out on timber market shifts? Forward this email to them!

Shauna Matkovich's Forest Invest Podcast is one of the best resources for understanding where forest finance is heading. If you are interested in Forest Investments, start there.

If you like FB be sure to subscribe to Boreal Tech Brief, a newsletter of my friend Axel covering tech in forestry with a Nordic angle: