Since the beginning of the ALPTREES project in October 2019, our team of 12 partner institutions collected data on non native tree species (NNT) in the Alpine Space. The project ALPTREES also thrived to generate new knowledge, supported by an amazing network of experts from all over Europe. Scientists who are eager to contribute to the tasks given by the project’s aim - to develop a transnational strategy for the responsible use and management of non native tree species in the Alpine Space with the help of an integrated Decision Support System. Experiences, expert opinions and local knowledge were shared, and brought new perspectives on the national and regional site derived policy, aiming to protect and enhance biodiversity to ensure ecological connectivity and cultural resources while maintaining a high level of resilience and ecosystem services across the region. The Digital ALPTREES Conference is one of the milestones of the project’s work and aims to summarize the accumulated topics within it’s two days lineup of presentations and discussions that were open for experts, stakeholders and scientists as well as for the public. The results of this Digital Conference of the ALPTREES project will help to increase the level of sustainable valorisation of cultural and natural heritage in the Alpine Space by providing tools allowing stakeholders in the sectors forestry, nature conservation, timber industry and rural & urban planning to distinguish between negative and positive impacts of NNT species on ecosystem services and functional needs in urban and peri-urban areas and forests. The obligation to share this knowledge in a condensed form that should be accessible to the public appeared soon after the project’s start. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, our colleagues and keynote speakers could not meet in person – but that situation gave us the opportunity to win people for this lineup who otherwise maybe would have been too busy rather than to travel to our conference in person.
