Serbia strengthens national capacity for climate-adaptive forest management

Serbia has taken an important step towards building more climate-resilient forests with its first national training of trainers on climate-adaptive silviculture. 

The three-day programme, held from 15 to 17 July 2026, united experts from research institutions, government and public forest enterprises who will play a leading role in introducing climate-adaptive forestry practices across Serbia. As the climate-adaptive silviculture package enters the final stage of development, the training marks a key milestone in ensuring that new technical guidance can be effectively applied in forest management.

The programme was held under the project Enhancing the Resilience of Serbian Forests to Ensure Energy Security of the Most Vulnerable While Contributing to Their Livelihoods and Carbon Sequestration (FOREST Invest).

Preparing forests for a changing climate

Climate change is making afforestation and forest restoration increasingly challenging. More frequent droughts, extreme temperatures, pests, wildfires and changing site conditions require forestry professionals to consider future climate risks alongside traditional forest management practices.

Climate-adaptive silviculture provides a practical framework that supports these decisions. It helps forestry professionals assess sites, select suitable tree species and forest reproductive material, identify climate risks and apply appropriate silvicultural measures while monitoring results over time. Rather than creating a separate management system, climate-adaptive silviculture strengthens the country’s existing forestry practices by integrating climate considerations throughout the planning and implementation process.

The approach is particularly important given the scale of the FOREST Invest project, which will support approximately 7 000 ha of afforestation, around 51 000 ha of degraded forest restoration, and about 1 000 ha of agroforestry plantations. At this scale, sound technical decisions are essential to improving survival rates, reducing investment risks and increasing the long-term resilience of forests.

Building national expertise

The training was hosted by the Institute of Forestry in Belgrade for the first two days and concluded at the Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment in Novi Sad.

Among the attendees were experts from both institutes and representatives of the Directorate of Forests of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia and the forest enterprises Srbijašume and Vojvodinašume.

By the end of the programme, 13 forestry professionals had completed the training, becoming the first group of senior climate-adaptive silviculture trainers in Serbia. Their role will extend beyond applying the methodology in their own work; they will also support future training for forest planners, district forest engineers, nursery specialists, inspectors, public administration and other forestry practitioners involved in afforestation, forest restoration and sustainable forest management.

Improving the system through practice

As future users and trainers of the methodology, participants tested selected tools, terminology and decision-making procedures through practical exercises and discussions. Their feedback will help refine the technical package, improve learning materials and ensure that the methodology is practical and accessible for the forestry professionals who will apply it in the field.

This collaborative approach helps ensure that the final climate-adaptive silviculture package reflects both scientific knowledge and operational experience.

Creating a lasting national system

The first training of trainers is the beginning of a broader national capacity development process. Through the cascade training approach, the newly trained experts will transfer knowledge to forestry professionals across Serbia, supporting the wider application of climate-adaptive forest management.

The next step is to integrate climate-adaptive silviculture training into the lifelong professional development system of the Chamber of Forestry Engineers of Serbia. Embedding the methodology within existing professional education will help ensure that the knowledge and tools developed through the FOREST Invest project continue to be used and updated well beyond the project’s lifetime.

By investing in both technical innovation and professional capacity, the FOREST Invest project is helping Serbia strengthen the resilience of its forests while contributing to sustainable forest management, climate adaptation and long-term environmental and socioeconomic benefits.

About FOREST Invest

This seven-year initiative is financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), with co-financing from the Government of Serbia, forest enterprises Srbijašume and Vojvodinašume, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Implemented by FAO in partnership with the Government of Serbia, the project aims to strengthen the resilience of the country’s forests through climate-adaptive forest management and large-scale afforestation and forest restoration while supporting sustainable livelihoods, climate mitigation and energy security for vulnerable communities.

About FAO and the GCF

Since becoming partners in 2016, FAO and the GCF have been scaling up climate investments in high-impact projects that make the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors more efficient, inclusive, sustainable and resilient to climate change.

By leveraging global partnerships, FAO catalyses public and private investments in agriculture that promote innovative climate change adaptation and mitigation actions and drive the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in line with the FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2031.

The GCF, a critical element of the historic Paris Agreement, is the world’s largest climate fund, mandated to support developing countries in raising and achieving the ambition of their national climate plans, known as nationally determined contributions.

© FAO/Saša Stamatović