On 1 July 2024, SELINA marked its second anniversary, celebrating another year dedicated to promoting ecosystems and their services, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem restoration for transformative change across Europe.

Highlights from the past year include:

• Continued hosting the SELINA Thematic Workshops with events in Madrid (October 2023), Leiden (February 2024), and Trondheim (June 2024).

• Published three SELINA-supported journal articles:

  • Accounting for forest condition in Europe based on an international statistical standard (2023)

  • Incorporating fire-smartness into agricultural policies reduces suppression costs and ecosystem services damages from wildfires (2023)

  • Increasing uptake of ecosystem service assessments: best practice check-lists for practitioners in Europe (2024)

• Began establishing the SELINA Communities of Practice across Europe and identified 145 potential “Seeds of Change” initiatives.

• Developed a Framework for Integrated Ecosystem Assessments supporting ecosystem services assessments that are applicable in various decision-making contexts.

• Began co-creating the structure and input for the SELINA Compendium of Guidance. 

• Produced six video interviews, available on the SELINA YouTube channel, to raise awareness about the 15 SELINA Demonstration Projects.

• Launched the SELINA Early Career Researchers network with an online webinar in November 2023.

• Created a 4-minute visual journey video to showcase the highlights of SELINA, including its goals, vision, and impact.

• Introduced new website features, including new sections, filters, and an option to translate the website into any language.

In early 2024, we held the external EC review meeting, which aimed to report and assess SELINA's achievements to date. The meeting was a success and acknowledged the dedication and efforts of all SELINA partners.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to advance our mission in the coming year!