Large-scale disturbances, such as extreme weather, wildfires, and pests, have weakened forests across Europe, reducing their ability to regenerate and adapt to climate change. To address this, professional seed and nursery management practices are essential to maintain forest health and resilience. This textbook and included guidelines were developed with the Slovenian environment in mind but are applicable across Europe. Since 2000, we have emphasized the importance of forest reproductive material and tree nursery activities for successful, close-to-nature, and multifunctional forest management, which forms a cornerstone of forest management practices. Following 2001, long-lasting droughts became more frequent, and in 2014, glaze ice affected 40% of Slovenian forests. This accelerated bark beetle infestations, while already weakened forests were further damaged by severe windthrows in the subsequent years.
