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Forest 4.0 at the Lithuanian Cluster Network Annual Meeting

In many countries, clusters play a key role in promoting economic growth, innovation, and employment. By bringing together businesses, research institutions, and other stakeholders, clusters become magnets for new technologies, skilled professionals, and investment in research and development. This collaboration not only helps reduce the cost and risk of acquiring new knowledge or technologies, but also fosters innovation, speeds up time-to-market for new products and services, and strengthens the overall competitiveness of participating members.

Clustering is also a central theme within the Forest 4.0 project - not only because several cluster organizations are members of our team, but also because one of our core goals is to establish a dedicated Lithuanian AI and IoT cluster. This cluster will serve as a foundation for implementing a Lithuanian Smart Forestry Strategy and supporting the international promotion of our Centre of Excellence.

With this vision in mind, the Forest 4.0 team from Agrifood Lithuania participated in the Lithuanian Cluster Network's annual meeting. This event brought together some of the most active clusters in the country, providing an excellent opportunity to engage with key actors in the Lithuanian cluster ecosystem and explore ways to connect this emerging Forest 4.0 cluster to broader European initiatives, such as the European Digital Innovation Hubs as well as other clusters in Lithuania as well as in the EU.

As the development of a strong cluster is one of the upcoming milestones for Forest 4.0, the meeting offered valuable insights, best practices, and networking opportunities. Learning from the experiences of other successful clusters in Lithuania is essential for shaping our approach and ensuring that the Forest 4.0 cluster can effectively support innovation, sustainability, and international collaboration in the forest sector.

If you want to keep up with our journey – follow Forest 4.0 online and never miss our news. 

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Hunting for New Contacts and Fresh Ideas at Elmia Wood 2025

The Forest 4.0 team has just returned from Bratteborg, where the Elmia Wood conference took place from June 5–7, 2025. Elmia Wood is the leading international business arena for innovative and sustainable forestry - a world-class demo fair held entirely in the forest. It offers a unique opportunity to test forestry machines, tools, and cutting-edge technologies in their natural environment, while also connecting with potential partners for future collaboration. It's a place where ideas take root and grow into tangible outcomes.

Over the visit to the conference, the Forest 4.0 team - represented by Tomas Krilavičius, Nerijus Kupstaitis, Gintautas Mozgeris, and Rasa Vaitkevičiūtė - engaged with forest owners, contractors, and forestry professionals from around the globe, exploring the latest trends and breakthroughs in modern forestry.

A key area of interest for the team was the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in transforming forest management. These technologies are reshaping how forests are planned, monitored, and utilized. Exhibition visitors had the chance to explore innovations such as smart sensor systems, drones, automated logging equipment, and advanced data analytics solutions. AI and IoT are enabling more accurate forest growth forecasting, early disease detection, and optimized logistics - from harvesting to processing.

Visiting Elmia Wood is just one step in building a strong network of partnerships for the Centre of Excellence. Follow the Forest 4.0 journey to stay updated on our progress and learn more about the future of digital forestry.

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Forest 4.0 joins a Memorandum of Cooperation of the Lithuanian Bioeconomy HUB

On 5 June 2025, during the first strategic session focused on “Strengths, Weaknesses, Challenges, and Opportunities of the Lithuanian Bioeconomy System, and Its Probable and Desirable Visions for 2040”, a Memorandum of Cooperation of the Lithuanian Bioeconomy HUB was signed.

The memorandum was signed by the HUB coordinator – VMU Agriculture Academy – along with three co-founding partners: the Lithuanian Food Exporters Association, the Centre of Excellence Forest 4.0, and the Association LithuaniaBIO.

Forest 4.0 will represent the forestry and forest-based value chain sector within the HUB, recognizing its essential role in the Lithuanian bioeconomy.

The Lithuanian Bioeconomy HUB is envisioned as a central platform for systematic, cross-sectoral dialogue. It brings together Lithuanian stakeholders – including ministries, policymakers, scientists, business representatives, and the general public – as well as international partners such as other BIOEAST HUBs, EU institutions, and relevant transnational actors. Its purpose is to coordinate efforts that strengthen the sustainability, innovation, and competitiveness of Lithuania’s bioeconomy.

The HUB seeks to foster an enabling environment for the growth and development of bioeconomy-related sectors. It promotes open innovation, strategic planning, and action, integrating sustainable raw material production, the development of innovative technologies, and climate change mitigation.

Learn more about the HUB: https://bioeast.eu/countries/lithuanian-bioeconomy-hub/

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Forest 4.0 × LABT: Rethinking Forests, Technology, and Sustainability Through Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

In May 19-23, Gabrielė Kasputytė, researcher at the Forest 4.0, took part in the interdisciplinary innovation event “The Laboratory for [Living] Tree [as] Architecture (LABT) Creathon 2025” in Saint-Etienne, France, where she participated as both a mentor and keynote speaker.

LABT is a transdisciplinary platform that brings together students, researchers, artists, and architects from across Europe to rethink the relationship between architecture, sustainability, and more-than-human life. As part of the Lithuanian Pavilion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale – Architreetecture, it connects 16+ European institutions and over 80 students, aiming to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration and creative exploration. LABT is produced by the Lithuanian Union of Architects and organized by Vytautas Magnus University in partnership with the Transform4Europe Alliance, Culture Platform “3022”, and the excellence centre Forest 4.0.

In the keynote "Smart Forestry as a Living Infrastructure: Challenges and Possibilities", Gabrielė explored how smart technologies are transforming forest management and ecological engagement. She highlighted the concept of the forest as a living infrastructure – a dynamic, interconnected system that requires collaborative approaches from scientists, technologists, creatives, and the public to thrive sustainably.

Students also had the opportunity to experiment with augmented reality (AR) technology, which enabled them to experience the sensation of being inside a forest from any physical location. This hands-on experience powerfully demonstrated how immersive technologies can bridge digital and natural environments, creating new pathways for education, design, and ecological awareness.

Explore the LABT initiative here: https://labt-for-students--b52du6h.gamma.site/

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Rethinking Forestry: Lithuania Debates the Future of Forest Policy

On 21 May, a conference on the impacts of clear-cutting and new approaches to forestry policy took place at the Parliament of Lithuania. Co-organised by the Committee on Environmental Protection of the Parliament, the conference focused heavily on close-to-nature forestry, the current state of Lithuanian forests, the problems of monoculture spruce forests, and the future of endangered species.

“Clear felling is incompatible with sustainable forestry. This Government’s programme sets a target that within 20 years, at least 50% of the country’s forests should be managed according to the principles of close-to-nature forestry, avoiding clear-cutting and prioritising ecosystem protection. A number of bills to strengthen forest protection are already on the Seimas' agenda. This year, one of the most important tasks of the Seimas and the Government will be to discuss, improve, and adopt the package of amendments to the Forest Law,” said Linas Jonauskas, Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection.

The CEO of the Forest 4.0 Centre of Excellence, Nerijus Kupstaitis, in his presentation, focused on the opportunities provided by the adoption of advanced forestry practices: “Innovative solutions based on science and data, which we refer to as Forest 4.0 solutions, can help to address the current challenges facing forests and the forest sector in the context of climate change and other contemporary issues, while helping to clarify the vision and concept of ‘smart forestry’ as a way of connecting and reconciling different interests in the future direction of forest policy.”

The event brought together environmental experts, scientists, forestry professionals, and politicians to discuss the future of sustainable forestry in Lithuania. The conference covered topics ranging from the current state of forests and close-to-nature forestry to international experiences and the role of communities.

The human-forest connection is an important part of Lithuania’s identity, but the current intensive, extractive forestry does not reflect this connection and is a source of public dissatisfaction. The amendments to the Forest Law currently being debated in the Seimas should be key to changing forest policy to meet the expectations of today’s society and to help realise the Lithuania 2050 vision.

A full recording of the conference is available here (in Lithuanian only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-76cpnYTLis

Photos by the Chancellery of the Seimas (author: Ekaterina Khvashchynskaya).

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Dr. Arianit Kurti: Transforming Forestry Through Data and Innovation

Questions of how we monitor, acquire, and analyze data in forest environments - and ultimately, how we create value from that data is of key importance to the team behind Forest4.0. But as the forestry sector moves toward this transformation, it faces several key challenges that must be addressed.

Challenges of today

One of the most pressing issues is the uneven level of digital maturity across the forestry value chain. While some parts of the sector are beginning to embrace digital tools, others still lag behind, making it difficult to implement unified, data-driven approaches. Alongside this, there is a growing need to shift from traditional supply chain logic to a more ecosystem-based way of thinking. This became especially clear during the pandemic, when global disruptions revealed how dependent we are on fragile supply chains. Events occurring far from our own regions can quickly impact how we manage resources and work with forests.

Another critical factor is digital competence. There is a clear need to increase digital skills across the entire sector: from forest owners and managers to scientists and policy-makers - to take full advantage of the digital tools and data available. Having data is not a solution on its own. It is part of a solution - but only when used with the right knowledge and capabilities.

Equally important is the need for constant innovation. To build the future of forestry, we must encourage new ideas and approaches at every stage of the value chain. Only by thinking creatively and pushing boundaries can we uncover new possibilities for sustainability, efficiency, and added value.

Science-based approaches

At Forest4.0, we believe scientific and technological contributions are essential in addressing these challenges. Our work focuses on developing new approaches to forest damage detection, biodiversity protection, environmental monitoring, and other related issues. Forests represent a deeply complex and largely unsolved challenge - and as we’ve heard in recent conferences, many important issues have already been identified and are ready for action.

One area we focus on is data traceability. Creating alignment across the entire value chain, from the individual tree to the final product. For example, Kaunas University of Technology is exploring Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that enable end-to-end tracking of forest resources. This kind of traceability is becoming increasingly important, especially as the European Union moves forward with digital product passports that require full transparency. In turn, this creates new possibilities for resilient, sustainable use of forest-based products.

We also explore how predictive analytics, automation, and precision management - powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning - can support decision-making and help address the many challenges embedded in forestry data. But technology alone isn’t enough. Machines must work alongside humans, not replace them. Human intelligence adds essential context, creativity, and judgment. Innovation happens when people and machines collaborate, bringing together different forms of intelligence to solve complex problems in new ways.

Forest4.0 as an innovation platform

By enabling data gathering and integration across the full forestry value chain, we also create a foundation for new forms of innovation. Forests are not just about trees or raw materials - through data, we can unlock entirely new services and business opportunities that benefit communities, industries, and the environment. That’s why our goal is to develop Forest4.0 into an innovation platform - a space where forestry experts, digital technology developers, researchers, producers, and forest owners can come together. Collaboration across disciplines is essential. Only when we listen to each other and work together can we create meaningful change.

This kind of interdisciplinary cooperation can feel unfamiliar at first, but we believe it is the only way forward. Data is at the heart of this process. It enables the creation of new value propositions and business models, and it lays the groundwork for disruptive innovation - where technology doesn’t just improve what exists but opens the door to entirely new ways of thinking and working with forests.

We must also be willing to learn from past mistakes. Many industries have seen how failure to adapt leads to decline - as witnessed by companies like Nokia and Kodak. The forestry sector is not immune. We are in the midst of rapid digital transformation, and the pace of change is only accelerating. To stay relevant and competitive, forestry must embrace innovation, rethink its traditional business models, and act quickly.

In this new landscape, data is a vital but not standalone asset. Its real value emerges when it is part of a broader strategy - one that moves beyond simply packaging or selling data and instead uses it as a driver for real transformation. With the right tools, skills, and mindset, the forestry sector can become a leader in innovation, sustainability, and value creation.

This article was prepared after Dr. Arianit Kurti presentation in joined Horizon Europe project Forest4.0 and Interreg Baltic Sea Region project Diverse Gene Watch conference in Kaunas, April 8^th, 2025.

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Forest4.0 Centre of Excellence Enters a New Phase

The Forest4.0 initiative has reached a significant milestone in its second year with the formal establishment of the Centre of Excellence in Kaunas, Lithuania. Under the leadership of Vytautas Magnus University and with the close collaboration of project partners, the legal structure of the Centre has now been finalized, and Dr. Nerijus Kupstaitis has been appointed as its Chief Executive Officer. With these key developments in place, the initiative enters a new chapter with high expectations for the years ahead.

The planning of upcoming activities was the focus of a two-day meeting held in Kaunas on April 7–8. The Forest4.0 team dedicated a full day to strategic discussions, reviewing project progress and aligning future priorities.

“The most significant achievement of the past year was the creation of the Centre of Excellence as a legal entity,” said CEO Nerijus Kupstaitis. “This marks a turning point for engaging researchers, fostering collaboration among universities, and building a robust network of stakeholders both within Lithuania and internationally. For the first time, we are seeing real momentum in connecting forestry professionals with digital technology experts. Looking ahead, our ambitions are even greater - we aim to expand beyond the Lithuanian ecosystem and establish Forest4.0 as a recognized international player.”

Ambitions for Growth

The potential for Forest4.0 to disseminate knowledge and influence broader ecosystems was also highlighted by Christine Ingridsdotter, Project Manager at Interior Cluster Sweden.

“Forests, and the issues of sustainability, resilience, and biodiversity, are more relevant than ever,” she noted. “Forest4.0 offers a powerful opportunity to share this knowledge - not just within Lithuania and Sweden, but more widely. Our goal is to equip policymakers, industries, and the public with a deeper understanding of the actions we must take now to preserve forests for the future. It's essential that we voice clear and sometimes bold opinions on what must change to protect this invaluable resource.”

Cross-Project Collaboration

On the second day of the meeting, the Forest4.0 team joined the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project Diverse Gene Watch for a joint conference. A key focus was forest resilience, particularly the importance of preserving the genetic diversity of keystone tree species.

In his conference presentation, Dr. Arianit Kurti, Head of the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology at Linnaeus University, emphasized the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in driving innovation in forestry.

“Innovation thrives at the intersection of disciplines,” Dr. Kurti stated. “We must engage forest owners, producers, and stakeholders across the entire forestry value chain. Their insights are vital to shaping effective, forward-looking solutions. Forest4.0 is intentionally positioned at this intersection - leveraging data and disruptive technologies to transform how we think about forests. They are not merely sources of timber and raw material; they hold far greater potential.”

Looking Ahead

With growing momentum and a range of events and initiatives planned for 2025, Forest4.0 is poised to further solidify its role as a transformative force in sustainable forest management and digital innovation. To stay updated on the project’s progress and upcoming activities, follow Forest4.0 on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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Forest 4.0 at Framtidsdagen in Växjö

On March 26, Anna Rosenqvist, a member of the Forest 4.0 team and CEO of Interior Cluster Sweden, took part in Framtidsdagen in Växjö - a future-focused event dedicated to innovation, sustainability, and regional development.

As a team member of Forest 4.0, Anna contributed to discussions by underlining the critical role of data-driven business development and the growing need for traceability across the entire value chain. From forest and mine to finished furniture and interior products, traceability is a cornerstone of the Forest 4.0 initiative.

Drawing on her deep industry experience, Anna emphasized how digital tools, cross-sector collaboration, and greater transparency are vital to driving the green and circular transition in manufacturing and design. Her message reinforced the importance of innovation not only as a technical shift, but as a collaborative effort across industries and regions.

Forest 4.0’s presence at Framtidsdagen highlights the initiative’s strong alignment with regional innovation goals and its commitment to building a sustainable and transparent future for the design and manufacturing sectors.

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Forest and Digitalization: Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Foresters?

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