The Department of Forest and Nature Conservation Policy at Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany, which leads work package four, co-ordinates the research efforts to enhance implementation of alternative forest management models in the case study areas and beyond. Scientists at the Göttingen University organised the workshop “Forest Policy Issues & Actor Networks in the Case Studies” from 26-30 September 2016. 

The workshop is aimed at training all case study field researchers from the nine participating countries within ALTERFOR to learn how to apply the RIU model: a newly developed multi-actor approach of knowledge transfer from science into practice. A research team led by Professor Max Krott developed the model that incorporates three key elements of effective knowledge transfer: (1) research, (2) integration, and (3) utilisation. ‘Using the RIU model within ALTERFOR, the adoption of alternative forest management models can be fostered  by a process of knowledge transfer that integrates the alternative forest management models into forest policy processes in all participating countries,’ said Dr. Nataly Jürges, project team member at Göttingen University. The knowledge transfer process includes the assessment of the interests and power resources of diverse relevant actors (e.g. state forest services, private forestry, nature conservation, water associations, and timber industries).

Field researchers from Sweden, Italy, Lithuania, Turkey, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Ireland were trained how to identify and engage actor networks based on the RIU-model and thus, to foster knowledge transfer between science and forest management practice. They visited the City Forest of Göttingen, a forest owned by the State Lower Saxony and a privately owned forest by Niedergandern - all managed according to different silvicultural concepts.