ROSEWOOD4.0: taking the ROSEWOOD network to the next level

This new project, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme, builds on the ROSEWOOD network of regional hubs, extending this well-established network both in geographical reach and the breadth of tools and solutions shared with stakeholders across Europe.

ROSEWOOD4.0 focuses on digitalisation and digital tools for knowledge transfer, training and coaching, enabling practitioners to share knowhow with much wider impact.

The project enhances the existing ROSEWOOD EU network of regions to give more actors in the wood mobilisation value chain increased opportunities for sharing good practices in the field and provides access to a wider range of technological and non-technological innovations.

The focus on digital platforms and digital training solutions addresses an identified gap, where the forestry sector lags behind in terms of adaptation and spreading of modern ICT solutions. This contributes to two main challenges in wood mobilisation in Europe, namely access to primary resources and transparency of the market.

ROSEWOO4.0 will close this knowledge gap at grassroots level and upscale the transfer of innovation and business models throughout regions and beyond, sharing knowledge at interregional scale for the sustainable and economic development of the forest sector for the benefit of rural areas, communities and regions.

The project works to four main objectives to achieve its aims. These include:

i) enhancing and sustaining Wood Mobilisation Hubs as cooperation platforms and innovation networks in five main European regions;

ii) transferring and communicating information and knowledge on best practices, innovations and research findings related to wood mobilisation and competitiveness;

iii) identifying and developing cooperation and innovation between all actors and supporting the uptake and exploitation of existing best practices and innovations; and

iv) supporting the design of new business opportunities for sustainable wood mobilisation through capacity building, training and development of knowledge resources.

ROSEWOOD4.0’s groups regions according to geographical location and common conditions to establish its five wood mobilisation regional hubs. These are:

• Northern Europe (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Baltic countries, Denmark);

• Central-West Europe (Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria);

• Central-East Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine);

• Southern-West Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal and South of France; and

• Southern-East Europe (Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Slovenia).

By sharing ICT-driven solutions for forestry, ROSEWOOD4.0 will contribute to enhanced competitiveness of the forest industry and to vital development in rural areas within the European Bioeconomy.

What's new in Rosewood 4.0?

• reinforced and enlarged links with Eastern Europe

• new member countries: Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Portugal, Greece, Norway, Sweden

• greater geographical reach with FIVE regional hubs

• digital training tools, materials and methodologies

• increased flow of practical information between foresters in Europe

• greater user uptake and adoption of solutions

About the project

ROSEWOOD4.0 is made up of a consortium of 21 partners and covers 18 European countries. The consortium, coordinated by the Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum, Germany, includes intermediary institutions, international and regional networks, research institutions and associations.

ROSEWOOD4.0 is a two-year Coordination and Support Action under the RUR 2019 Call “Thematic networks compiling knowledge ready for practice”, funded under grant number 862681.