Workshop: Stories of the Understory

The forest understory plays a central role in ecological processes and human experiences of forests, yet it often remains overlooked in forest management and conservation. In this interdisciplinary workshop, researchers from Finland and Germany came together to explore the understory through multiple lenses—ecological, cultural, social, and sensory. The participants acknowledged and discussed diverse forms of knowledge related to the understory, from scientific to traditional and place-based, to better understand the many ways people relate to it. Through shared readings, discussion, and direct engagement in the forest, we reflected on how the understory shapes foraging practices, sense of place, human–nature relationships, and alternative forest economies. We discussed what it means to "know" the understory, who holds this knowledge, and how it influences forest governance. This report brings together the key themes, questions, and ideas that emerged, highlighting the understory not only as a biological layer, but as a space where ecological, cultural and political dimensions meet. In doing so, we aim to provoke rethinking dominant forest perspectives and encourage more inclusive and relational ways of valuing and managing European forests.