Danish, not Swedish hygge during SFC 2026 in Denmark

The EUSTAFOR Annual Conference 2026 in Denmark offered a rich and well-paced programme that combined field experiences, policy discussions, and most of all, networking in true EUSTAFOR spirit among the state forest organisations.

 

Wednesday 10th of June, Official Opening

After EUSTAFOR Executive Committee convened for its board meeting, the rest of the participants gathered for the official opening of the conference. The evening continued with an inaugural dinner at the historic Nørre Vosborg Manor, setting an elegant and welcoming tone and getting introduced to Danish forestry and its history. Not to forget Danish culture, with its traditional music and dancing!

 

Thursday 11th June, Stråsø Forest

Despite the celebrations and networking continuing until late in the evening, Thursday’s program started early leading us directly into the field: The visit to Stråsø Forest provided an immediate immersion into Danish forestry practice. The morning focused on Nature National Parks and set-aside forests  for biodiversity development, offering concrete examples of how conservation objectives are implemented in practice. The excursions sparked engaging dialogues among the participants in groups about balancing between protection and multi-functional forest management.

 

Klosterheden Forest and Danish West Coast

Following a scenic drive to the Tuskær Cultural Center and lunch by the Danish west coast, the afternoon continued with another field visit. This time it led us to Klosterheden Forest, where close-to-nature forestry practices were presented.

 

Re-Introduction of Beavers

Later in the day, attention turned to nature conservation and the re-introduction of beavers, to enrich the biodiversity. The day concluded with a memorable dinner under the stars, offering a perfect setting for informal networking and deeper exchange between colleagues.

 

Friday 12th Juni, Anebjerg Forest and farawells

On Friday, the program took us to the other side of Jylland, with a final field trip to Anebjerg Forest. Here the focus was on afforestation and stakeholder engagement, topics that resonate strongly across Europe as countries work to expand forest cover while ensuring public acceptance and involvement.

The conference concluded with a farewell reception at Vestermølle, providing a final opportunity to consolidate insights and connections before participants departed via shuttle transfers back home, and hoping to gather together again next year in Slovenia!

From biodiversity conservation and close-to-nature forestry to afforestation and stakeholder engagement, the programme reflected the many challenges and solutions that Europe’s state forest organisations encounter. Most importantly, it reinforced the value of sharing practical experience across the EUSTAFOR network, linking policy ambitions with forest management on the ground: Many thanks for the organizers and all participants for this amazing, immemorial and instructive journey!