Building a Positive Forestry Narrative: WoodPoP and FCN Host Visual Communication Workshop in Brussels
Brussels, Belgium – The European Wood Policy Platform (WoodPoP) and the Forest Communicators’ Network (FCN) jointly hosted a workshop in Brussels focused on building a positive narrative around forestry, including wood production. The workshop, entitled ‘Framing the future: visual strategies for a positive forestry narrative’, brought together communicators from different European countries.
It aims to address how visual storytelling can counterbalance the current narrow view on harvesting and wood utilisation by showcasing the many facets of sustainable forestry and the benefits of wood as a renewable resource and a versatile alternative material to fossil-intensive and non-renewable materials.
It was highlighted that conventional imagery, such as clearcuts, dilapidated wooden structures, and large pulp mills and sawmills, can unintentionally reinforce negative connotations. In contrast, images such as selective felling, forest regeneration activities (e.g. nurseries, replanting), people enjoying forest settings, and modern, functional wooden buildings in urban settings, can help build trust and foster public support for sustainable forest management. It was emphasised that it is important to align these visuals with key messages that highlight:
- Sustainable forest management is a continuous, science-based process,
- Wood is a sustainable and climate-friendly material that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also contributes to well-being.
- Wood is an innovative material with versatile use across a range of applications anchored in circularity principles, and that;
- Forestry and the wood-based sector are modern and diverse driving forces in Europe’s green transition.
