Adaptive forest management is a systematic process for continually improving forest management, in conditions of complexity and uncertainty, by learning from the outcomes of experiments and operational practice. Adaptive management has often been proposed as a suitable approach for dealing with uncertainty and complexity in natural systems, particularly in relation to climate change.
Some of the most significant challenges for implementing adaptive management are social and institutional. This study reviews published evidence, to assess international experience in adaptive forest management and its implications for woodland management in the UK. While much can be learnt from other countries, the pressures on land, high public expectations, fragmented habitats and ownership structures require a particularly collaborative approach in the UK. Characteristics of the UK context, including longstanding experience with partnership working, and a thriving culture of forestry knowledge networks, are promising aspects for a more adaptive approach to forestry.