The second thematic workshop of the FRISK-GO project on biotic damages to forests was organized by EFIATLANTIC and INRA at Arcachon, near Bordeaux, France (2-3 June).

The thematic workshop on the planning of a European Forest Risk Facility was opened by a welcome speech by host Christophe Orazio (EFIATLANTIC) and was followed by an overview presentation on the vision of a European Forest Risk Facility. A roundtable of introductions followed, linked to a ‘position mapping exercise’ prepared by the FRISK-GO team of EFICENT to map the skills of attendees. The workshop was mainly dedicated to identify potential activities for the risk facility from the perspective of native emerging and alien pest and diseases. The attendees gave their opinion on planned facility activities, their relevance, and how to implement actions and priorities.

The workshop was concluded by a session on ‘the liaison function of a European Forest Risk Facility’. Christoph Hartebrodt and Yvonne Chtioui from the Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wuerttemberg (FVA) conducted group work based on their experiences on how it can be ensured that the potential activities identified for and tools provided by facility are translated to the regional and local level actors - and vice versa (see projects: PUMA andKoNeKKTiW). The workshop participants concluded that a European Forest Risk Facility would be a much needed platform for facilitating the rapid exchange of information and knowledge on biotics and enable a broader analysis of pests and diseases in Europe.