The International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) was established in 1985 under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (Air Convention, formerly CLRTAP) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
ICP Forests monitors the influence of air pollutants, climate change and other stressors on the condition of forest ecosystems at two levels of monitoring intensity: Level I monitoring is based on around 6,000 observation plots on a systematic 16 x 16 km transnational grid across Europe and beyond to provide insight into the geographical and temporal variation of forest condition. Level II intensive monitoring comprises over 600 plots in selected forest ecosystems with the aim of clarifying cause-effect relationships.
Currently, 40 European countries as well as the USA and Canada are involved in the programme.
- 42
paticipating countries
- 2
intensity levels
of monitoring
- Over 6,000
forest monitoring plots
- 40 years
since its foundation
Happy Birthday, ICP Forests!
2025 is a special year: ICP Forests celebrates its 40th anniversary!
The transition from air pollution to climate change and its impact on forest ecosystems is the central theme of the anniversary.
The celebration event and the ICP Forests scientific conference, FORECOMON 2025, will take place in Dresden, Germany, from 19 - 21 May 2025.
Registration for the celebration event and FORECOMON 2025 is open until 3 April 2025. [Registration link]
Further information can be found at forecomon2025.thuenen.de.
ICP Forests plots
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