Conference Agenda

European forests are increasingly expected to provide a wide range of biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) beyond timber production, positioning non-industrial private forest owners (NIPF) as key contributors. A key issue is how to engage NIPF in this needed shift in forest management. To better understand the drivers of NIPF participation in voluntary agreements, we conducted a meta-regression analysis of 24 studies of survey-based stated or actual participation data, encompassing 28 distinct datasets and 571 observations from 12 European countries. The findings suggest that certain contract designs substantially enhance NIPF participation: short- and mid-term contracts of 1 to 30 years (as opposed to longer-term agreements), withdrawal clauses, non-restrictive management requirements, and higher compensation levels all promote uptake. Moreover, agreement objectives centred on biodiversity, carbon, or multifunctionality attract higher participation than timber- or water-focused aims. Although trust between the actors is often considered important in the literature, we did not consistently detect such effects on participation rates. The results indicate a more consistent NIPF interest in BES agreements after 2012, especially those centred on biodiversity and carbon aims as well as multifunctionality, potentially reflecting broader policy trends and motivation shifts among younger generations of NIPF away from timber production. These insights offer practical lessons for policymakers and practitioners aiming to design effective, targeted incentives that leverage Europe’s privately owned forests to meet biodiversity and climate objectives.