Reconciling the different uses and values of deadwood in the European Green Deal

The growing demand for woody biomass to meet the environmental and climate objectives of the European
\nGreen Deal raises concerns about the capacity of forest ecosystems to sustain their diverse services and
\nfunctions. Deadwood, an often-overlooked source of biomass, exemplifies this dilemma, yet the evidence
\nneeded to enhance its management is sparse. Here, we put the role of deadwood into perspective through
\na literature review and comparison of estimates in managed and unmanaged forests. We demonstrate that
\ndeadwood intersects many overlapping and sometimes conflicting policies, playing a multifaceted role in
\nthe bioeconomy, biodiversity conservation, soil health, fire mitigation, bioenergy, and carbon storage. Given
\nthe increasing pressure on deadwood and the ecosystem services it provides, we argue that coherent and
\nmutually supportive policies are needed to develop multifunctional pathways that reconcile deadwood management
\nwith biodiversity, bioenergy, and climate objectives. Therefore, we suggest that harmonized data
\nand monitoring are essential, along with transdisciplinary collaboration, to identify trade-offs between
\nbiomass uses and values and ensure the maintenance of functional forest ecosystems.