Save the date! 2nd European Conference on Small Forest Holdings
A new opportunity for European forest owners to strengthen ties and join forces. The 2nd European Conference on Small Forest Holdings will take place on 9 and 10 June 2027 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France).
In May 2025, the 1st Conference brought together more than 200 stakeholders from across Europe at FAO Headquarters in Rome, marking the launch of the Laurus Network. Forest owners and their organisations, public authorities, researchers and experts met to discuss the situation of Europe’s small forest holdings: their structural barriers, their potential and the support they need.
Strasbourg is the next step. Two years after Rome, the conference will take stock of what has changed, showcase solutions that are already working across Europe, and bring the conclusions of the SMURF project into direct dialogue with EU decision-makers.
Why it matters
According to SMURF project estimates, Europe has around 16 million small forest holdings and between 20 and 25 million forest owners, yet most countries lack reliable records of who they are. Fragmentation, low profitability, limited access to finance and weak local value chains are driving land abandonment, at a time when wildfires, pests and climate change make active forest management more necessary than ever.
Programme: 2 days, 4 thematic sessions
- From Rome to Strasbourg, two years on: taking stock of small forest holdings in Europe.
- Building resilient forest economies: financing, markets and new business models.
- From fragmentation to cooperation: innovative solutions and sustainable management models.
- Policy dialogue: translating the SMURF conclusions into European action.
Who should attend
The conference expects 150–250 international participants, including:
- Forest owners and forest owners’ organisations
- EU institutions (Parliament, Commission and Council)
- National and regional forest authorities from more than 10 countries
- Researchers and universities
- Forest industry and value chain companies
- Environmental organisations and certification bodies
Organisers and supporters
The conference is organised by the Cesefor Foundation on behalf of the SMURF consortium, with the support of:
- The Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO)
- The Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests (MASAF)
- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- The European Forest Institute (EFI)
Join us in Strasbourg and help turn shared challenges into European action!
Be wise, be innovative, be brave — be Laurus.
