GAF AG, an e-GEOS (Telespazio/ASI) company, has been selected as the successful contractor for the implementation of the WorldForest project, following a competitive bidding process. The project is funded by ESA under the Earth Observation Science for Society (EO4Society) element of the FutureEO-1 Segment-2 Programme (2023–2025) Applications Element, which reinforces ESA’s commitment to advancing Earth Observation (EO) applications for societal benefit.
The WorldForest project will be implemented by a highly qualified consortium comprising GAF AG, VITO, DHI, GFZ, NMBU and Caribou Digital, each of which brings specialized expertise that addresses the project’s ambitious goals. Together, this consortium will integrate complementary strengths to deliver cutting-edge solutions for adaptive and sustainable forest management.
WorldForest aims to develop innovative methodologies and digital tools to support adaptive and sustainable forest management. The project addresses the requirements of the new EU Forest Strategy, related EU regulations and international frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (notably SDG 15: Life on Land), the Paris Agreement, the Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use.
As ESA’s Prime Contractor for WorldForest GAF AG will lead the development and implementation of innovative EO-based solutions, transforming satellite data into actionable information for policymakers, scientists, and forest managers. The project will deliver:
- Advanced methodologies for forest monitoring, assessment, and reporting.
- Support for adaptive and sustainable forest management in line with EU and international policy objectives.
- Engagement with stakeholders, including UN organisations, EU institutions, and national agencies, to consolidate requirements and maximise impact.
- Pre-commercial digital tools and services ready for deployment in the digital platform economy
The WorldForest project encompasses user engagement, input data collection and processing, algorithm and tool development, large-scale production and validation, demonstration of use cases, and targeted outreach and communication activities. These efforts will enhance the capacity to monitor forest ecosystems, assess forest health, and implement evidence-based sustainable management strategies.
GAF AG expresses its appreciation to all the partners and stakeholders involved in the bidding process and looks forward to collaborating on this flagship initiative to advance the sustainable management of forests and thereby contribute to climate action and biodiversity conservation.
