On 16 July 2026, Pannon EGTC organised the second online knowledge-building workshop of the Pannon Future Forest project, bringing together representatives of forestry companies, universities, public authorities, professional organisations, tourism and nature conservation to explore how forests and other natural assets can generate new economic opportunities.
The workshop formed part of the project’s knowledge-building phase, which aims not only to introduce emerging areas of the forest-based green economy, but also to identify promising ideas, businesses, experts and potential mentors that can later become involved in the project’s innovation and mentoring activities.
From ecosystem services to viable business models
The professional discussion was based on the project’s benchmark study, which collects good practices from Hungary and across Europe in nine thematic areas.
Participants discussed opportunities related to sustainable forestry and digitalisation, wood-based design, agroforestry, voluntary carbon and biodiversity markets, nature-based solutions, green business models, environmental education and wellbeing, non-wood forest products, and regenerative tourism.
A central question throughout the workshop was how ecosystem services that are traditionally perceived as freely available public goods can be transformed into value-added products or services without undermining their ecological function.
The discussion highlighted the importance of measurability and credibility. Whether the topic is carbon sequestration, biodiversity enhancement, water retention or the health benefits of forests, viable business models require a clear understanding of what value is created, how it can be measured and who may be willing to pay for it.
Opportunities for small forest owners and local businesses
An important part of the discussion focused on the applicability of new business models to smaller forest holdings.
Participants pointed out that many private forests in Hungary are relatively small and often have fragmented ownership structures. This can make participation in certain markets, such as voluntary carbon projects, difficult on an individual basis. In such cases, cooperation between forest owners and the involvement of integrators or professional intermediaries may be essential.
At the same time, smaller-scale opportunities may be found in areas such as agroforestry, recreation, tourism, local products or nature-based services. The workshop underlined that the project is not seeking one universal model, but rather ideas that build on the specific resources and capabilities of individual locations and actors.
The importance of catalyst organisations
Another key conclusion was that reaching innovative businesses and potential idea owners requires strong intermediary networks.
Participants identified chambers, universities, clusters, professional associations, forest management organisations and local producer networks as important catalyst organisations. These actors can help disseminate information and reach smaller businesses and forest owners who may not otherwise encounter innovation-oriented project opportunities.
The Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture was highlighted as an especially relevant partner because of its direct links to agricultural and forestry stakeholders. The Pannon Wood and Furniture Industry Cluster and organisations representing local producers were also mentioned as potential channels for further cooperation.
Forest wellbeing and regenerative tourism
Nature-based recreation and wellbeing generated particularly strong interest.
The workshop explored how services such as forest bathing, guided nature experiences and corporate wellbeing programmes can add professional value to the recreational benefits already provided by forests. One possible direction discussed was the further development of forest bathing towards more measurable forest therapy or garden therapy approaches, using existing methods to demonstrate health and wellbeing impacts.
Corporate team-building and employee wellbeing programmes were also identified as a potentially relevant market, extending the target group beyond local visitors and tourists.
Regenerative tourism offered another perspective. Rather than simply minimising negative impacts, this approach seeks to enable visitors to actively contribute to the environmental or social regeneration of a destination. A practical example from Hungary demonstrated how forest management, local farms and tourism services can be combined into a common visitor experience, with corporate groups emerging as a particularly promising target market.
Concrete ideas for further development
Several potential development directions emerged from the workshop, including:
- exploring a biodiversity credit model on a specific forest area;
- linking urban nature-based solutions and water retention initiatives in Pécs to the project’s knowledge base;
- further developing forest bathing and forest therapy services;
- creating corporate wellbeing and nature-based team-building programmes;
- strengthening the use of wood in architecture and interior design through cooperation with education and the wood industry;
- connecting sustainability education with innovative learning tools;
- identifying additional agroforestry, wood-design and regenerative tourism initiatives.
Participants also emphasised that promising project ideas do not necessarily have to come from existing businesses. Universities, students, professionals, institutions and individuals may also bring forward concepts that can later be transformed into viable business models.
From knowledge-building to idea development
The workshop confirmed that follow-up will be essential. Many participants indicated that they would need time to reflect on the examples presented and to identify relevant businesses, experts or ideas within their own professional networks.
The next stage of Pannon Future Forest will therefore focus increasingly on collecting and developing ideas. Selected concepts will have the opportunity to be further refined through the project’s planned hackathon and subsequent mentoring process.
The project is also developing an online knowledge hub and mentor network, designed to connect expertise across the Hungarian–Croatian–Slovenian border region and support emerging forest-based green economy initiatives.
The second knowledge-building workshop demonstrated that the transition towards a forest-based green economy is not based on a single solution. Its potential lies in connecting forestry, nature conservation, business development, tourism, research, technology and local communities — and turning these connections into practical new opportunities.