This is WIFORCE
Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research (WIFORCE) is a basic science research program that aims to deepen our understanding of the processes behind forest growth, survival, and biodiversity. The knowledge can contribute to sustainable forestry, new management practices, and climate-adapted trees.
WIFORCE is a strategic initiative in natural science-based forest research at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
WIFORCE builds on two strong research programs – one focused on future silviculture and one in forest biology and biotechnology – and is now expanding with several new components. A key investment is the research school, where more than 50 PhD students are being trained, 16 of whom in collaboration with industry and other stakeholders. The program also includes the establishment of five new research groups with cutting-edge expertise to address future challenges. In addition, new arenas for collaboration and innovation are being developed – tools for the future management and conservation of forests.
Program components
WIFORCE Research School
The WIFORCE Research School provides PhD students with a solid foundation in natural sciences to enable them to analyze, develop, and contribute to research on the future of forestry. In total, around 50 PhD students are being trained, including 16 in collaboration with industry and other external partners.
Program Director: Hjalmar Laudon
Director of Studies and Coordinator: Maria Israelsson Nordström
Research programme: Future Silviculture
This program connects basic research on trees, soils, and landscapes with applied research in forest management. The goal is to develop silvicultural methods for the future. The program is based at SLU’s Department of Forest Ecology and Management in Umeå.
Program Director: Sandra Jämtgård
Research programme: Forest Biology and Biotechnology
At the Umeå Plant Science Centre – a collaboration between Umeå University and SLU – WIFORCE supports a program in forest biology and biotechnology. Basic research in plant biology is translated into concrete applications in forestry and the forest industry.
Program Director: Ove Nilsson
Strategic Recruitment
WIFORCE includes the establishment of five new research groups with cutting-edge expertise in:
- Forest management and biodiversity in terrestrial environments
- Forest management and biodiversity in water-rich environments
- Tools for assessing structural and functional biodiversity
- Biodiversity mapping using environmental DNA (eDNA)
- Genetic biodiversity in relation to forest management
WIFORCE Research Arenas
New arenas for collaboration and innovation are being developed within the programme. Currently, planning is underway for a large national computing centre – an advanced platform for managing and analysing complex forest data.
Here, data from fieldwork, genetics, climate models, and AI are combined to develop new tools for the sustainable use and conservation of forests in the future.
The ambition is to create an open resource that can benefit researchers, authorities, and industry.
Social Sciences and Humanities for the Forests of the Future
How we manage and conserve forests is not just a question of natural sciences – it also involves people’s values, behaviours, and decisions.
As part of broadening WIFORCE, the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation and the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Memorial Fund launched calls in spring 2025 for research projects in social sciences and humanities relevant to the sustainable use and conservation of forests.
Decisions on funding are expected in November 2025.
WIFORCE Overall Goals
- To conduct excellent basic research to better understand the processes that govern forest growth, survival, and biodiversity.
- To explore how this knowledge can be applied to sustainable forestry, new management practices, and the development of tree varieties better adapted to a changing climate.
- To deepen understanding of the consequences of different forest management methods, such as their effects on biodiversity, water, and carbon storage.
- To educate the next generation of researchers for future roles in industry, government agencies, and other parts of society.