Background Forests cover about 30% of Europe, providing high value concerning: biodiversity; carbon sequestration; soil and water protection; and the economic contribution of goods and services. However, climate change, air pollution and changes in land use are threatening the health, stability and sustainability of forests and their values. On top of these mainly anthropogenic influences, natural biotic and abiotic stressors – such as drought, storm, snow, insects, fungi, and fire - also influence the structure, composition and functioning of forests. The complexity of the cause-effect relationships involved needs sound scientific information as a basis for good political decisions. The International Cooperative Programme (ICP) on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) and National Forest Inventories (NFIs) have worked to provide reliable information on forests for more than 20 years. The EU ran the “Forest Focus” scheme (2003-2007) for harmonised, broad-based, comprehensive and long-term monitoring of European forest ecosystems. Objectives The FutMon project aimed to continue and improve the coordinated activities of the EU’s "Forest Focus" scheme. It specifically aimed to create a pan-European forest monitoring system to serve as a basis for the provision of policy-relevant qualitative and quantitative information on forests in the EU. The sub-objectives of the project were: Building capacities for the coordination of harmonised forest monitoring; Collecting quantitative and qualitative forest data related to climate change, air pollution, biodiversity, and forest condition; Providing information needed for sustainable forest management in the form of data related to the improved pan-European Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management; Scientific analysis of data and the provision of reports focusing on forest conditions and forest soil conditions in relation to air pollution, climate change, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity; Making the network available to other projects also aiming at meeting the information needs of the EC; Serving as the basis for other forest monitoring programmes and for scientific analyses of the monitoring data aimed at biodiversity , climate change and air pollution.Results The FutMon project built on and took forward the work of the ICP Forests and NFIs in monitoring forests on the ecosystem scale as well as at large scale. The main European added value of the project was the continuation of data collection, the establishment of a large-scale grid for forest assessment, and increased harmonisation and standardisation amongst different forest-monitoring bodies. However, many challenges remain for the effective harmonisation of forest monitoring work at large and smaller scales across the EU. The project conducted a revision of the large-scale - Level One Network - monitoring system for forests. It selected and defined 6 941 large-scale plots as part of a FutMon EU geographical database that was a major output of the project. Representative monitoring was carried out on more than 4 100 of these plots each year in 13 EU countries. Monitoring covered: forest area; area of other wooded land; growing stock including small trees; above- and below- ground biomass; and dead wood. More intensive monitoring was conducted on around 250 Level Two plots, representing the main forest types in Europe. Common assessments were conducted on each of these sites covering: tree condition; ground vegetation; deposition; ambient air quality; soil; and meteorology. On a small sub-sample of these plots, demonstration surveys were conducted on additional forest issues including: tree vitality and adaptation; nutrient cycling and critical loads; and water. The project attempted to merge the large-scale grid with the smaller-scale - Level Two - NFI grids to allow synergies between monitoring and assessment at the two levels. However, the ongoing challenge of this work was highlighted by the fact that only 58% of the large-scale monitoring plots were coincident with NFI plots. FutMon was able to develop a database management system with online data submission, automated data validation, and data validation by experts. It also developed improved data quality assurance procedures for laboratories. Finally, it drafted a new manual on methods and criteria for harmonised sampling, assessment, monitoring and analysis of the effects of air pollution on forests. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan, included in the Final technical report (see "Read more" section).