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<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">ESSDD</journal-id>
<journal-title-group>
<journal-title>Earth System Science Data Discussions</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="publisher">ESSDD</abbrev-journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="nlm-ta">Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss.</abbrev-journal-title>
</journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="epub">1866-3591</issn>
<publisher><publisher-name></publisher-name>
<publisher-loc>Göttingen, Germany</publisher-loc>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.5194/essd-2026-112</article-id>
<title-group>
<article-title>A gridded dataset of European Forest Types to support forest monitoring, modelling and reporting</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Giannetti</surname>
<given-names>Francesca</given-names>
<ext-link>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4590-827X</ext-link>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">
<sup>2</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Zorzi</surname>
<given-names>Ilaria</given-names>
<ext-link>https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7042-6718</ext-link>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">
<sup>2</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Linser</surname>
<given-names>Stefanie</given-names>
<ext-link>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7505-4922</ext-link>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">
<sup>3</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Neumann</surname>
<given-names>Mathias</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4">
<sup>4</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Cheval</surname>
<given-names>Sorin</given-names>
<ext-link>https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6412-1918</ext-link>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff5">
<sup>5</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff6">
<sup>6</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Collalti</surname>
<given-names>Alessio</given-names>
<ext-link>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4980-8487</ext-link>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff7">
<sup>7</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff8">
<sup>8</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Vangi</surname>
<given-names>Elia</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff7">
<sup>7</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Grieco</surname>
<given-names>Elisa</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff7">
<sup>7</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Morichetti</surname>
<given-names>Mauro</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff7">
<sup>7</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>D’Amico</surname>
<given-names>Giovanni</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Tudose</surname>
<given-names>Nicu Constantin</given-names>
<ext-link>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4814-8886</ext-link>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff9">
<sup>9</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Ludvig</surname>
<given-names>Alice</given-names>
<ext-link>https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1323-2276</ext-link>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">
<sup>3</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Passarino</surname>
<given-names>Livia</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Scriva</surname>
<given-names>Jessica</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">
<sup>2</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Giambastiani</surname>
<given-names>Yamuna</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">
<sup>2</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Fattoretto</surname>
<given-names>Irene</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Secchi</surname>
<given-names>Giuliano</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Travaglini</surname>
<given-names>Davide</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Chirici</surname>
<given-names>Gherardo</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff8">
<sup>8</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Corona</surname>
<given-names>Piermaria</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff10">
<sup>10</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Marchetti</surname>
<given-names>Marco</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff11">
<sup>11</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Barbati</surname>
<given-names>Anna</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff10">
<sup>10</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
</contrib-group><aff id="aff1">
<label>1</label>
<addr-line>Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, 50145, Italy</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff2">
<label>2</label>
<addr-line>Bluebiloba Startup Innovativa s.r.l, Via C. Salutati 78, Florence, 50126, Italy</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff3">
<label>3</label>
<addr-line>Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Centre for Bioeconomy and EFI Forest Policy Research Network, BOKU  University, Feistmantelstr. 4, 1180 Vienna, Austria</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff4">
<label>4</label>
<addr-line>Department of Ecosystem Management, Climate and Biodiversity, BOKU University, Peter-Jordan-Str. 82, 1190 Vienna,  Austria</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff5">
<label>5</label>
<addr-line>National Meteorological Administration, 97 Bucuresti-Ploiesti, Bucharest, 013686, Romania</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff6">
<label>6</label>
<addr-line>Babes¸-Bolyai University, Geography Doctoral School, Cluj-Napoca, 400006, Romania</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff7">
<label>7</label>
<addr-line>Forest Modelling Lab., Institute for Agriculture and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean, National Research Council of  Italy (CNR-ISAFOM), 06128, Perugia, Italy</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff8">
<label>8</label>
<addr-line>National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), Palermo (Italy)</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff9">
<label>9</label>
<addr-line>National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry (INCDS) “Marin Dracea”, Closca 13, Brasov 50040, Romania</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff10">
<label>10</label>
<addr-line>Department for Innovation in Biological, Agri-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, San Camillo de  Lellis snc, 01100, Viterbo, Italy</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff11">
<label>11</label>
<addr-line>Department of Design and Architecture, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Flaminia 359, 00100, Rome, Italy</addr-line>
</aff>
<pub-date pub-type="epub">
<day>18</day>
<month>03</month>
<year>2026</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>2026</volume>
<fpage>1</fpage>
<lpage>39</lpage>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>Copyright: &#x000a9; 2026 Francesca Giannetti et al.</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2026</copyright-year>
<license license-type="open-access">
<license-p>This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this licence, visit <ext-link ext-link-type="uri"  xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</ext-link></license-p>
</license>
</permissions>
<self-uri xlink:href="https://essd.copernicus.org/preprints/essd-2026-112/">This article is available from https://essd.copernicus.org/preprints/essd-2026-112/</self-uri>
<self-uri xlink:href="https://essd.copernicus.org/preprints/essd-2026-112/essd-2026-112.pdf">The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://essd.copernicus.org/preprints/essd-2026-112/essd-2026-112.pdf</self-uri>
<abstract>
<p>A standardized system of nomenclature for forest types is essential for effectively monitoring and understanding the impacts of climate change on diverse ecosystems in Europe and beyond. A comprehensive classification system, such as the European Forest Types (EFTs) scheme, is essential for assessing baseline conditions, tracking changes, and guiding conservation decisions. A unified forest type nomenclature supports international collaboration, enables researchers and policymakers to accurately compare data across regions and time periods, and enhances the development of targeted conservation strategies and adaptive management practices aimed at preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services. This classification breaks down forested areas in Europe into a handful of ecologically homogeneous units, thus facilitating the analysis of data related to forest conditions and management practices across a wide range of climatic and edaphic conditions. The current lack of an EFTs map for Europe prompted its processing, using a shared rule-based expert system algorithm. Utilizing a dataset featuring 39 &quot;relative probability of presence (RPP) maps&amp;rdquo; of tree species and various forest masks, the algorithm identified 14 EFT categories. This initiative filled a critical gap in spatial monitoring, providing the first consistent pan-European EFT maps gridded dataset. The availability of standardized and comprehensive spatial data on forest types enhances our capacity to understand, manage, and conserve forest ecosystems effectively. Such data support biodiversity conservation and ensure the sustained provision of essential ecosystem services, highlighting the critical role of forest types in maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being.</p>
</abstract>
<counts><page-count count="39"/></counts>
<funding-group>
<award-group id="gs1">
<funding-source>HORIZON EUROPE Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment</funding-source>
<award-id>101060554</award-id>
</award-group>
</funding-group>
</article-meta>
</front>
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<back>
</back>
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