WaldDialog – Forest Dialogue – Dialogue Forestier 2026 ¶
Biodiversity as a Key to Enhancing Adaptation and Resilience in Managed Forests ¶
Date: September 10, 2026, 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: University of Basel (Kollegienhaus), Petersplatz 1, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
Organizers: TriNational ForestLab, SwissForestLab, Conference of Cantonal Foresters (KOK), Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN)
Languages: German, French and English. Presentations will be given in German or French, according to the speaker’s native language—and will be simultaneously interpreted. English translation will be provided by AI.
Target audience: Policymakers, forest owners, administrations, authorities from Switzerland, Germany, and France, and the scientific community.
Forests in Switzerland, Germany, and France face similar challenges: climate change, changing societal expectations, and new technological opportunities call for innovative strategies for sustainable forest management.
On 10 September 2026, the SwissForestLab and the TriNational ForestLab, together with the Conference of Cantonal Foresters (KOK) and the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), invite you to the ForestDialogue 2026 at the University of Basel. Held for the first time as a cross-border event, the conference will bring together experts from the three countries.
The conference focuses on "Biodiversity as a key to enhancing adaptation and resilience of managed forests." Looking beyond national borders opens up new perspectives,highlights different approaches, and promotes exchange between science, forest practice, and public administration.
In the morning, researchers will present the current state of knowledge on the conference theme. Key questions include: How can biodiversity and sustainable timber production be successfully combined? What role does genetic diversity play in creating climate-resilient forests? What synergies, trade-offs, and solutions arise in multifunctional forests?
The afternoon, the focus will shift to practical implementation. Regional approaches from Baden-Württemberg, the Basel region, and Alsace will illustrate how adaptive close-to-nature forest management is already being successfully implemented. These presentations will be complemented by short contributions from forestry professionals, who will share their practical experience and perspectives.
Event Registration (deadline 08.09.2026)
Program ¶
| MORNING: RESEARCH FINDINGS | |
| 08:45 | Reception and registration |
| 09:30 | Welcome and Introduction |
| Arthur Gessler (WSL/ETH) | |
| Holger Stockhaus (Amt für Wald und Wild beider Basel) | |
| Michael Reinhard (FOEN Switzerland) | |
| Frank Krumm (WSL) | |
| 10:00 | Research foundations from Switzerland, Germany and France |
| Martin Gossner (WSL/ETH) | |
| Jörg Kleinschmit (FVA-BW) | |
| Hervé Jactel (INRAE) | |
| Daniel Guggisberg (Bildungszentrum Wald Lyss) | |
more informations on FORWARDS (leaflet) | |
| 11:30 | Coffee break |
| 12:00 | Parallel sessions |
| FISHBOWL 1 - GERMAN (French translation) | |
| Wie prägen Klimawandel, gesellschaftliche Trends und technische Innovation den naturnahen Waldbau 2.0? | |
| Chair: Lukas Denzler (independent journalist BR) | |
| Samuel Zweifel (ETH) | |
| Axel Albrecht (FVA-BW) | |
| Sophie Ehrhardt (Julius Kühn-Institut) | |
| FISCHBOWL 2 - ENGLISH | |
| What role does genetics play, and how can we specifically promote genetic diversity? | |
| Chair: Felix Gugerli (WSL) | |
| Christian Rellstab (WSL) | |
| Jörg Kleinschmit (FVA-BW) | |
| Julia Schwarz (WSL) | |
| POSTER PRESENTATIONS ON THE CONFERENCE THEME | |
| 12:45 | Standing lunch with networking |
| AFTERNOON: ADAPTIVE CLOSE-TO-NATURE FORESTRY IN PRACTICE | |
| 13:45 | Regional implementation approaches: examples from Baden-Württemberg, the Basel region and Alsace |
| Catharina Hehn-Ziegler (Landesforstverwaltung BW) | |
| Ueli Meier (Amt für Wald und Wild beider Basel) | |
| Julien Tomasini (ForestAllia) | |
| FLASH TALKS BY FORESTRY PROFESSIONALS | |
| Jean-Jacques Boutteux (Pro Silva France) | |
| Matthias Schmiederer (Landratsamt Lörrach) | |
| Bertrand Zamofing (Forêts-Sarine) | |
| Emma Antoine (PNR Vosges du Nord) | |
| Matthias Leisinger (Landratsamt Lörrach) | |
| Luzius Fischer (Amt für Wald und Wild beider Basel) | |
| Frédéric Bonin (Office national des forêts France) | |
| 15:00 | Coffee break |
| 15:30 | Parallel sessions |
| FISHBOWL 3 - FRENCH (German translation) | |
| Comment concilier production durable de bois et promotion de la biodiversité? | |
| Chair: Thibault Lachat (BFH) | |
| Patrick Fouvy (Dir. de la biodiversité et des forêts Genève) | |
| Hervé Jactel (INRAE) | |
| Julien Tomasini (ForestAllia) | |
| Jean-Jacques Boutteux (Pro Silva France) | |
| FISHBOWL 4 - GERMAN (French translation) | |
| Biodiversität und Holzproduktion im multifunktionalen Wald: Welche Synergien, Konflikte und Lösungen bestehen? | |
| Chair: Janine Schweier (WSL) | |
| Georg Löffler (ForestBW) | |
| Hans-Ulrich Hayn (ForestBW Forstbezirk Hochschwarzwald) | |
| Stefanie Burger (Abt. Wald Kanton Aargau, AG Waldbio SFV) | |
| POSTER PRESENTATIONS ON THE CONFERENCE THEME | |
| 16:20 | Placing the discussion in an international context |
| Gesche Schifferdecker (European Forest Institute EFI) | |
| Michael Kauffmann (Landratsamt Lörrach / TEB) | |
| 16:30 | Aperitif and networking courtesy of Amt für Wald und Wild beider Basel |
| 17:30 | End of the event |