The project will contribute to achieve the objectives of the European Union for growth, jobs and sustainable development (Lisbon and Gothenburg agendas) by exchange and dissemination of experience, transfer of practices and development of new approaches related to forestry. Resulting in improved knowledge and skills, successful transfer of practices and improved regional and local policies and strategies.The Community Strategic Guidelines for Cohesion Policy 2007-2013, which aim to balance the objectives growth and jobs on the one hand and territorial cohesion on the other hand, are also respected as the outputs and results of the project will be made available to all European regions. The project aims to ensure that future European forests continue to deliver multiple benefits and to leave future generations forests that are well adapted and resilient to natural risks, including effects of climate change. The project will improve our knowledge on how forestry mitigates the effects of climate change on water balance, soil, biodiversity, and timber and non-timber forest products, its role in carbon sequestration and how to prevent forests from natural risks like fires, pests and pathogens. It will do this by the exchange, sharing and transfer of policy experience, knowledge and good practices through interregional co-operation so providing political decision makers and other stakeholders in all European regions with the knowledge and tools that enable them to decide on effective forestry policies and forest management practices. The partnership consists of six regional public forestry authorities, one regional association and one national public forestry authority from seven EU Member States. (1) Ministry of Rural Development, Environment and Consumer Protection of the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany, (short: Brandenburg); (2) Forestry Commission Wales, United Kingdom, ( Wales); (3) French Forestry Office, Auvergne Office, France ( Auvergne);(4) Forest Management Service, Catalonia, Spain, (Catalonia); (5) State Forestry Agency/Regional Forestry Directorates Veliko Tarnovo, Pazardjik, Smoljan and Kardjali, Bulgaria, (Bulgaria), (6) Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia, Latvia (Latvia) and (7) the Slovak Environmental Agency, Presov branch (SEA), (8) Association for Education of Sabinov, Slovakia (AES). The six regional authorities and AES have direct links to local administrations in their regions and are capable to influence local policies. The only national project partner is Latvia but this country is not divided into regions. Therefore the minstry can directly influence local policies in the framework of its responsibilities. The partner organisations have proven experience in the issues tackled by the planned project. The 7 regions are characterised by different climatic and edaphic conditions. This facilitates the transfer of the project results to other European regions. Achievements: Starting with the kick-off conference in Berlin on Jan (19/20 - 33 attendees) during the Int. Green Week the project developed considerable momentum. Beginning in Feb all project partners and specific experts met each month in one of the regions to find out how forest management tries to take climate change into account. Catalonia in Feb (24/25 - 35 attendees, Les Gavarres/Girona) showed the big threat of even dryer climate on the Mediterranean biosphere. Wales in Mar (25-27 - 46 attendees, Abergavenny) showed their struggle to deal with waters in the vicinity of woodlands. Brandenburg in Apr (29/30 - 27 attendees, Chorin/Schorfheide ) informed on the change in silvicultural principles leaving monostructured pine forests and starting mixed forests which offer much higher plasticity. While this study visit we produced a video as a communication tool. Bulgarian in May (19-22 - 32 attendees, Kardjali) showed work in prevention of soil erosion, the enormous skills to plant new forests on very dry soil and the use of natural barriers in torrents to keep water and stop flooding. Auvergne in Jun (11/12 - 37 attendees., Murat) biodiversity as a part of forest management planning. Latvia in Jul (08/10 – 46 attendees., Riga) showed timber production in short rotation coppices and silvicultural methods with new bred scots pines. Slovakia in Sep (08/10 – 32 attendees, Kosice, Presov and Sabinov) informed about the role of municipal forests, breedings in tree nursery and silvicultural methods to preserve native tree species. The Catalonian Conference in Oct (06/07 – 132 attendees.; Barcelona) closed the 1st – and opend the 2nd project phase. All the seen aspects were discussed on a high level among the experts from all regions but on a political level between the representatives of the regions and in the Catalonia parliament as well. The common conviction were signed. The 2nd project phase (developing together) started with an experts workshop in Brandenburg in Dec (02/03 – 40 attendees; Potsdam). The experts discussed about financial promotion and grant schemes in the regions and worked on the new tool "sensivity model" that was introduced during the workshop and proved to be a viable tool to enter into a precise description of governing processes and their dependence. While a meeting with a member of the European Commission GD Agri on 15th Sept. in Brussels we have had the opportunity to introduce our project. In result of this meeting we were invited to a meeting of the standing forestry committee in the commission for introduce our project and our partnership. This took place on 25th Sept. in the GD Agri in Brussels. Some leaflets, brochures were produced.