Forests cover about 40 % of the European Union (EU). The forests provide a wide spectrum of invaluable ecosystem services to more than half a billion people. In order to protect and harness this crucial asset, EU policies are advancing multifunctional management. The study lays a basis for such an effort by mapping the supply of key forest ecosystem services (FES) across the entire EU, including wood, water supply, erosion control, pollination, habitat protection, soil formation, climate regulation and recreation. To further support the operationalization of multifunctionality and targeting of policies, our analysis delineates hotspots, assesses synergies and tradeoffs, and identifies spatial bundles.

the practical implementation of the different EU strategies promoting the sustainable use of natural processes and capital for ecological and social wellbeing requires an in-depth knowledge of where different forest ecosystem services (FES) are supplied across the EU territory. This can be achieved through mapping.