The European Ecological Forecasting Initiative (EEFI) is a regional chapter of the Ecological Forecasting Initiative. EEFI is a community of individuals spanning academia, government, NGOs and industry with the shared aim of developing and applying ecological forecasts to develop ecological theory and tools and inform decision-making to mitigate the impacts of environmental change.
EEFI is a focal point for activities and issues relevant to ecological forecasting in Europe. We host and facilitate a range of events to further build the European ecological forecasting network and its activities. Knowledge exchange amongst this network will help to address some of the outstanding challenges for applied ecological forecasting, including issues around data availability, dealing with uncertainty, and engaging user groups.
The initial EEFI founding committee included: Vicky Boult (University of Reading), Istem Fer (Finnish Meteorological Institute), Gerbrand Koren (Utrecht University), Maria Paniw (Estación Biológica de Doñana), Owen Petchey (University of Zurich), and Harry Watkins (St Andrews Botanic Garden), with the tireless support of Jody Peters (University of Notre Dame).
You can see the current Steering Committee here. If you are interested in shaping the future of ecological forecasting in Europe, reach out to info@ecoforecast.org to learn more.
EEFI’s near-term strategic plan
The EEFI Near-term Strategic Plan outlines strategic priorities and activities for the near-term (next 3 years as of October 2023). It lays out what the European ecological forecasting community can expect from EEFI and the ways in which individuals and groups can engage.
Community call – October 2023
A year since EEFI officially launched, we held a community call to reflect on the first year of activities and look to the future. Within our first year, we’ve connected with a vibrant European ecological forecasting community, and it’s clear to us that there is exciting work underway across the continent, being pioneered by many committed and passionate individuals.
During the community call, the EEFI Steering Committee shared the Near-Term Strategic Plan, as well as details about upcoming Steering Committee elections, opportunities to engage in working groups, and other EEFI activities on the horizon. If you missed the call, you can watch the recording below.
Launch meeting – October 2022
EEFI officially launched in 2022, following a series of successful European events focused on ecological forecasting, including the FILAMO workshop (Norway) and the Climate Science for Ecological Forecasting symposium (UK). These events made clear that an ecological forecasting community already exists in Europe, but that this community was not being effectively reached by existing US-based EFI activities, demonstrating the need for a European chapter.
We hosted a Launch Meeting in October 2022 which provided an opportunity for the European community to meet each other, get an overview of EEFI and upcoming events, and participate in a brainstorming session on community interests and priorities. If you missed that call and want to catch up, you can watch the recording below.
Stay up-to-date
If you want to stay up-to-date on the latest EEFI activities and news from the European community, sign-up here to be added to our listserv.
European EFI 