This collection of poems and essays is where Zen and writing meet. Zen is about simply sitting and awakening to being a fully alive human being, interconnected with the world. Writing is about awakening the creative mind and allowing it to become fully alive and connected with the world. Each breath is a moment. Each word is a moment. The work presented here reflects some of those small moments.

Consequences of climate change in combination with air pollution for ecosystem services are multiple but hard to predict. To meet future challenges, a way forward is development of supersites in forest research. This chapter will elucidate the development of existing European forest monitoring and research infrastructures, describe harmonisation of databases and knowledge about climate change and air pollution impact on forest ecosystems and present knowledge gap statements from fifty experts affiliated with the COST FP0903 Action. The statements are structured within the following subjects: The carbon cycle in forests (LULUCF accounting), forest health and vitality, forest biodiversity, extent of forest resources, availability of wood and forest biomass, protective functions of forests and socio-economic information about the forest sector. This will provide a base of knowledge with regard to supersites in forest ecosystem monitoring and research.

Forest monitoring by terrestrial investigation has achieved a number of results in terms of infrastructure, enhanced international cooperation, development of methods, data, data quality, and capability to provide information. In addition, long-term monitoring data are increasingly requested by researchers and modelers. Despite these achievements, forest monitoring programs are facing increasing challenges related to a superimposed reduction in resources and a generalized loss of appeal and enthusiasm by policy and funding agencies. Although forest monitoring is a relatively young discipline, which has already evolved considerably, a further, rapid evolution is necessary. The next generation of monitoring programs should consider (i) identifying a wider range of users for monitoring information; (ii) expanding monitoring potential by means of connections with terrestrial and remotely based inventory, modeling, and research systems; (iii) adapting and further improving quality and coverage of data, information and reporting to fit specialized stakeholders; and (iv) enhanced global cooperation. Long-term commitment and financial support are necessary to secure continuity of operation, data collection, and maintenance of data series.

Forest assessments aim at meeting a variety of information needs, such as forest health, forest volume and growth, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, as well as relationships between forests, climate change, and air pollution. Respective forest assessments have been implemented in Europe on different scales with different intensities. The ICP Forests has been established in 1985. With its currently more than 6800 large-scale and more than 760 intensive monitoring plots in Europe and with 40 countries of Europe as well as with Canada and the United States of America also participating, ICP Forests constitutes one of the largest forest monitoring programs in the world. It contributes cooperates with numerous scientific and political institutions and programs. In this context, an overview on current forest information needs and on monitoring approaches and initiatives is provided. Examples of main results are provided.

The importance of translating the results of forest monitoring into useful commodities (i.e., data, information, knowledge, and wisdom) is discussed. The need for an effective communications strategy is stressed, following well-established reporting principles. Reporting may involve a range of communications specialists as well as those who collect the data, and scientists who analyze and interpret it. It is vital that the type of report is tailored to the needs of particular audiences, be they scientists or modelers, policy and/or decision makers. Monitoring platforms need to be increasingly aware of new opportunities for the data and information they generate. The internet is now enabling quicker and global reporting of monitoring outputs but also promoting two-way communication between user and consumer. A political movement to promote open access to all forms of monitoring data is gaining ground and some international and European regulations are already affecting the way forest monitoring outputs are placed in the public domain.