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.
Programme ¶
| 08:45 | Reception and registration |
| MORNING: STATE OF RESEARCH | |
| 09:30 | Welcome and introduction to the topic |
| Arthur Gessler (WSL/ETH, SwissForestLab, TriNational ForestLab, nfz.forestnet, CH) | |
| Holger Stockhaus (Office for Forests and Wildlife of the Cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt, CH) | |
| Michael Reinhard (FOEN, CH) | |
| Frank Krumm (WSL, CH) | |
| 09:50 | Research foundations from Switzerland, Germany and France |
| Martin Gossner ((WSL/ETH, CH) | |
| Jörg Kleinschmit (FVA, DE) | |
| Hervé Jactel (INRAE, FR) | |
| Daniel Guggisberg (Forest Education Centre Lyss, CH) | |
| 11:00 | Coffee break |
| 11.45 | Parallel sessions: Fishbowl 1 and 2, poster presentations |
Fishbowl 1 (German): How are climate change, social trends and technological innovation shaping close-to-nature forest management 2.0? Moderator: Lukas Denzler (freelance journalist, BR, CH) | |
Fishbowl 2 (Entlish): What role does genetics play, and how can we strenghten genetic diversity in practice? Moderator: Felix Gugerli (WSL, CH) | |
| Poster presentation on the conference theme | |
| 12:45 | Standing lunch and networking |
| AFTERNOON: ADAPTIVE, CLOSE-TO-NATURE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE | |
| 13:45 | Regional implementation approches: examples from Baden-Württemberg, the Basel region and Alsace |
| Catharina Hehn-Ziegler (Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection, DE) | |
| Ueli Meier (Office for Forests and Wildlife of the Cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt, CH) | |
| Julien Tomasini (Forest Allia, FR) | |
| 14:30 | Short presentations by forestry professionals |
| Matthias Schmiederer (Forest District Wieden/Utzenfeld, DE | |
| Matthias Leisinger (Forst District Schopfheim, DE) | |
| Bertrand Zamofing (Forêts-Sarine Forest Management Association, CH) | |
| Tbc (short presentation, CH) | |
| Tbc (short presentation, FR) | |
| Tbc (short presentation, FR) | |
| 15:00 | Parallel sessions: Fishbowl 3 and 4, poster presentations |
Fishbowl 3 (French): How can we achieve a balance between sustainable timber production and biodiversity conservation? Moderator: Thibault Lachat (BFH, CH) | |
Fishbowl 4 (German): Biodiversity and timber production in multifunctional forests: What synergies, conflicts and solutions exist? Moderator: Janine Schweier (WSL, CH) | |
| Poster presentations on the conference theme | |
| 16:00 | Putting the conference into an international context |
| Gesche Schifferdecker (European Forest Institute EFI, DE) | |
| Michael Kauffmann (District of Lörrach, – Trinationaler Eurodistrikt DE) | |
| 16:30 | Apéro and networking |
| 17:30 | End of the event |