EFERN - Overview

EFERN is a pan-European network initiative with the aim to promote co-ordination of forest ecosystem research and to improve communication among scientists working in that field.

The EFERN-team has issued a catalogue (CATRES) of research topics which are recommended for future investigation. An important perspective is to encourage and organise interdisciplinary research programs and transnational co-operations.

The technical core of the network is a database providing data of projects, research units and experts dealing with forest ecosystem research.

The Concerted Action "EFERN S6" has been funded by the European Commission (FAIR) and officially ended by March 31, 1999. At present the the EFERN database is funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

A follow-up of EFERN is planned and a project has been submitted in March 2000 to the European Commission.