Despite ambitious nature conservation efforts, biodiversity is under threat. Enhanced conservation and restoration of forests is key for biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services (ES). The objectives of BIOCONSENT are to provide novel scientific knowledge and policy support by (i) analysis of the impacts of policy incentives arising from (in)coherent cross-sectoral policies at the biodiversity-forest-water-climate nexus, (ii) assessment of actors behavior and behavioral changes required for transformation towards sustainable socio-ecological systems with improved biodiversity status, and (iii) integration of biophysical, social, economic and governance drivers shaping the biodiversity-forest-water-climate nexus. The project uses integrative socio-ecological approaches to assess and quantify outcomes of alternative conservation and restoration measures on forest biodiversity and ES provision across spatial and temporal scales.

The general objectives of the project is to create the Centre of excellence (LignoSilva) in the field of a forestry, wood-processing and a pulp-paper complex involving two major organizations, the National Forest Centre in Zvolen and Pulp and Paper Research Institute in Bratislava in cooperation with the European Forest Institute as a leading research organisations from high performance countries of the EU. LignoSilva will help to strategically transform Forest-based sector of the region towards the innovation growth based on the knowledge economy (in terms of RIS 3 SK vision) and the implementation of the principles of Green Economy. LignoSilva will represent the Centre of excellence that integrates research, development and innovation potential of a Forest-based industry that rationally links the chain of wood production, processing and utilisation. Project covers 4 interlinked priority areas: 1. Forest resources and sustainable wood production 2. Biomass and bioenergy 3. Paper-pulp technologies 4. Recycling and cascading system of wood and wood products use The intention of the project partners is to establish an autonomous entity by grouping a number of existing facilities into one cluster. CSA and FPA will be directed so that the newly established CE can benefit from massive past investments whilst bringing more dynamics into the forest based industry in Slovakia The CE will benefit from European Forest Institute and its network participation. EFI with its member is in a unique position to provide collective science-based insights at European and regional level to support informed policy making. Concerning LignoSilva EFI's Research function aims to (i) Conduct and promote interdisciplinary and cross-sector research of Forest-based industry and (ii) Support the coordination, strengthening and networking of forest research capacities aiming to overcome the fragmentation and low performance of FBI in Slovakia.

We are facing complex societal challenges, such as protecting the environment, promoting healthy living and fighting climate change. To address such challenges, citizens must be equipped with the ability to responsibly engage in scientific discussions and decisions. Traditional formal schooling has not been able to achieve this goal: There is a wide-spread lack of scientific knowledge at all level of society and students' interest in science tends to decline within school years. One reason is the decontextualised way in which science is taught. MULTIPLIERS aims to facilitate the transition of schools into innovative and open collectors of new ideas, practices, scientific approaches, able to offer to the communities in which they are embedded a space for open, inclusive and inquiry-based learning on science issues which have an impact on citizens' lives. This will be achieved by establishing multiplayers' partnerships (Open Science Communities, OSCs) involving schools, families, civil society organisations, informal education providers, policy-makers, the media and a vast range of science institutions in six EU countries, very different in terms of geographical and economic situation. OSCs will jointly select socio-scientific issues to be tackled and develop real-life projects to be implemented in schools involving more than 1500 students of all educational levels across six EU countries. Students will interact with a broad spectrum of science professionals and be involved in data collection and decision-making processes. Via open community events, they will then share and rethink their findings and experiences, liaising with families and society, acting as science multipliers. To ensure the results' transferability and uptake, final recommendations, guidelines, and learning materials will be published in an multilingual open webspace; OSCs will be maintained and enlarged after the end of the project to further pursue the MULTIPLIERS open schooling process.