How IT4EST is Turning Forest Innovation into Operational Resilience

A European Platform for Forest Protection

IT4EST is building a European Technology Deployment Platform for sustainable forest protection. It connects technology providers, research organisations, SMEs, forest managers, public authorities and civil-protection stakeholders into an operational European value chain covering prevention, preparedness, early detection, response, recovery and long-term resilience.

Technologies That Make a Difference on the Ground

• Prevention and risk intelligence: Arbonaut, Forestry France and other partners use LiDAR, satellite data and fuel-load mapping to help authorities identify high-risk areas and prioritise preventive action.
• Early detection: SEBELO’s AI-powered sensors identify the chemical signature of fire before smoke or flames appear, where even a few minutes can make a difference.
• Suppression: BONPET, an advanced extinguishing and fire-barrier material, has shown promising results in controlled tests, including reduced water consumption and protection against re-ignition.
• Aerial monitoring: THRUST’s GreenBee fixed-wing UAV combines LiDAR, RGB and multispectral sensors for forest inventory, damage detection and carbon-stock estimation.
• Crisis coordination: Konnektable’s COncORDE platform unites field data, sensors, UAV inputs and crisis workflows in a common operational picture for emergency responders.
• Recovery: The Post-event Restoration Programme (PERP) uses Earth Observation and machine learning to produce burn-severity and ecosystem-recovery maps, and is being demonstrated in Greece, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

Innovation Grounded in Real Needs

Forest-management partners Florecha, Ocolul Silvic Vlasia and Forestry France connect technology development with field conditions, contributing data, hosting demonstrations and providing feedback. Field campaigns have been completed in Portugal, Romania and France, with Spain and Lithuania to follow by the end of summer 2026.

Building Skills and Investment-Ready Solutions

The IT4EST Learning Programme offers five e-learning modules for municipalities, land planners, forest managers, fire professionals and non-specialists, leading to certification. The project also shows how the I3 Instrument can help move technologies from pilots towards investment-ready solutions.

As Europe stands together against wildfires, IT4EST stands ready to contribute through science, technology, field knowledge, training and cooperation.

Because we protect what matters: before, during and after the crisis.