The work in WG1 focuses on the utilization of data sources, expert knowledge, empirical data, NFIs, remote sensing data, big data for quantifying ecosystem services. It will result in reports on data types, data sources, data quality, verification and validation of data and knowledge to assist overall system design, quality control, integration, sharing, and use in planning process. It will deal with the data structure and architecture to build a spatial database system. It will address innovative approaches for data extraction from forest inventory/NFI, use of monitoring systems such as Remote sensing, as well as traditional knowledge sources (e.g. project results, scientific publications).

The work in WG2 will address the requirements of a conceptual framework for the multifunctional forest management planning focusing on models and methods used to characterize ecosystem services. It will focus on the integration of various modelling approaches at the landscape level. An assessment of existing criteria and indicators for sustainable use of ES is central to the Action. This is done first by screening the full range of sectors having interest on a certain set of ES, specific approaches used to identify, classify, quantify and integrate ES into forest management planning, the Strategic Research Agenda of the EU Forest Technology Platform and bio economy initiatives. As well, the relevant international conventions and EU level forest policy documents prepared for designing future forest management interventions will also be screened in documenting and cross examination of management models and methods used in various EU countries. The case studies provide a basis for integrating the work of the different tasks.

The work in WG 3 will address user perspectives, identify stakeholder conflicts and in general support social learning processes. The activities will review the involvement process of various stakeholders across different jurisdictions or EU countries in forest management decisions. The nature of participatory processes, the use of various MCDA tools and need to accommodate local experiences and knowledge, as well as concerns in landscape planning are all central to the Action.

The work of WG4 will focus both on the assessment of DSS designed to accommodate various ES, user demands, stakeholder’s requirements, national and international (particularly at EU level) policies / legislations and data requirement in management planning. It will emphasize the assessment and combination of approaches to address multiple objectives and sustainability, multiple ownership, multiple temporal and spatial scales through multifunctional DSS. Further, it will address emerging technological developments and functionalities of DSS (interoperability, hybridization, cloud computing, new OR techniques etc) in forest landscape management planning. Finally, it will support the integration of data, methods and models for the analysis of the complex interactions of forest management at the landscape level, considering the needs and requirements of stakeholders.

The work in WG5 will focus on the approaches and tools in the realization and translation of the results of DSS into practicality. European Commission policy documents for both protection and sustainable management of forest ecosystems will be reviewed, synthesized and interpreted for applying forest management practices across European countries towards the harmonization of national governance policies and practices. Policy setup, legal documents, training for converting DSS results to the practicality, criteria and indicators for monitoring the performance, GIS and Remote Sensing tools to monitor forest activities and their effects on ecosystem services are central to the success of the Action.