International agricultural information exchangeContext / background:The international exchange of information and experience and networking are an important basis in the work of agricultural organizations. In many countries there are projects in areas such as Education, climate and resource protection, further development of existing production systems. The experiences and results are too little exchanged between the countries and solutions for future challenges are usually worked out individually by each country.Target:The project aims to exchange targeted information about challenges in agriculture in various areas (e.g. education, environmental and climate protection, resource management) between the partner countries. Furthermore, ongoing projects of the partner countries are shown and the possibilities of cooperation are discussed. The exchange of information gives rise to new ideas and impulses for the implementation / design of these new approaches in other countries.Number and profile of participants:The participants are actors from agriculture at all levels (farmers, consultants, stakeholders) and representatives from politics. administration and research. The different profiles of the participants ensure a comprehensive and holistic view of the subject areas. The number of participants is around 30 people.Description of activities:The core activities are the transnational project meetings. They are the basis for the exchange of information and the further processing of the respective projects in the partner countries. 2 transnational project meetings take place each year. The project meetings are prepared by the partners in the respective country and documented by the applicant, the Association of Farmer Organizations in the Principality of Liechtenstein (VBO).Methodology for the implementation of the project:The implementation of the respective transnational project meetings takes place in 4 steps:1. Content and organizational preparation (mail, phone, video conference)2. project meeting (workshop, working group, plenum)3. Follow-up, additional one-on-one discussions (short report, email, phone, video conference)4. Information and public relations (internally and externally via website, social media, newsletters, local print media)Expected results:Ideas and approaches to regional challenges through the input of the international partners. Deeper further cooperation in special fields (e.g. resource conservation and biodiversity or cross-border public relations).Potential long-term benefits:Expansion of the international network of actors in agriculture. Increased international cooperation in climate and resource protection and long-term positive image advertising for a regional, producing, resource-saving agriculture.

Neither the promotion of science and research nor innovation are a priority in South Tyrol, a land of around 500,000 inhabitants with traditions in agriculture, skilled crafts and trades. Those committed to promoting research in the region try to engage both politicians and the general public by means of a wide variety of activities. One particularly important crowd-puller is the biennial Researchers' Night (LUNA) in Bozen-Bolzano. The Eurac Research - unibz - IDM consortium together with other partners will be opening their doors for the sixth time on September 27 2019, allowing visitors to have a proper look at the work of the scientists, to enter into discussions with junior and senior researchers and conduct experiments with them, to be amazed and to have fun. In addition, LUNA 2018 will be one of the rare opportunities for the public to visit the new NOI Techpark, where the most important South Tyrolean players in science and innovation will have their offices and laboratories and will work together intensively. As usual, all venues (the headquarters of the consortium partners and of 10 additional partners) will be linked by a free shuttle bus service. The Awareness Campaign will target around 300,000 people. The ever growing visitor numbers of the previous events (in 2014 the record number of almost 16,000 visitors was reached!) suggests that we should expect at least 10,000 interested individuals who will be keen to join us. This year's theme is "Change and Challenge", and from 17:00 until midnight, young and old will be able to see for themselves how South Tyrol's researchers play their part in studying the changes in our world (e.g. changes in society, climate change etc.) and in facing the challenges of the future, elaborating possible solutions for all of us. Interactive stands, competitions, games, shows and discussions will offer something for everyone, and above all provide personal contact with around 300 scientists and technicians.

Forest ecosystems cover 42 % of the European Union’s total land area and strong efforts have been made to facilitate an increase of multiple forest ecosystem services to form robust forest stands. However, all ecosystems recently have been hit by rapidly changing climatic conditions, e.g. long lasting droughts, heavy rain events, frequent and intensive storms, pests and forest fires. To address this within future silviculture management concepts, forest operations and wood supply, all stakeholders along the Forest Wood Value Chain will need to form a common idea of future forest management, while none of them can increase its benefit without harming another one. Therefore, four Case Studies Regions will be established, following Europe’s biogeographical regions, to study climate-resilient silvicultural management practices and new methods of seeding and planting by the application of an own engineered topsoil cover based on wood fibres. Corresponding forest operations and concepts of actions in case of disturbances will be developed under selected sustainability criteria. Stakeholders will be activated in the participative process of socio-economic studies. The information will be consolidated in Dynamic Value Chain Model to assess the impact of the Forest-Wood Value Chain on regional development quantified by a set of economic, environmental and social indicators. The newly developed Multi-Criteria Decision Support System visualises decision-making by comparing Sustainable Forest Management, synergies and trade-offs of Forest Ecosystems, reliable wood supply, and stakeholder interests through FWVC indicators of social, economic, and environmental dimensions, by applying methods of Goal Programming. The easy-to-use software application will be available for Forest-Wood Value Chain stakeholders globally. All ONEforest results will be implemented in new Model Forests, being part of the International Model Forest Network for regional adapted forest management concept.