The importance of forests with regard to supporting human needs is considerable. Forests are rich in biodiversity and valuable for recreation, water regulation and soil protection. As well as for providing timber and other non-wood forest products, forests are important for mitigating climate change and for the renewable energy sector. Forest ecosystems are exposed to a range of environmental, economic and social pressures that challenge their sustainability. The forest sector is influenced by the unprecedented pressures arising from climate change and the growing demands of society on natural resources. These changes place enormous pressure on the health and resilience of forest ecosystems and affect biodiversity and human well-being. Human activities and management have modified more than 96 % of Europe's forests