Broad consensus regarding the negative impacts of climate change has prompted different sectors to adopt climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. The German federal state North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is amongst the leaders with regards to its climate protection law, which includes climate change adaptation measures in the forestry sector, with special focus on negatively affected social and economic groups. The participatory elaboration of the “climate protection and adaptation strategy in NRW’s forests” is the first step in tackling the challenges climate change poses. UNIQUE was contracted by the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Consumer Protection of North Rhine-Westphalia to support the elaboration of this strategy.

• Identification, evaluation and a short review of relevant literature.
• Facilitation of an internal workshop as well as stakeholder workshops.
• Formulation of identified measures into action-oriented strategy.
• Integrate new measures identified during the participatory process.
• Support of the elaboration of a model-based forest management concept.
• Draft elaboration of the climate protection and adaptation strategy in NRW’s forests.