As the global woodworking and wood processing sectors prepare for LIGNA 2025 in Hanover, the forestry segment of the trade fair takes center stage, emphasizing the critical role forests play in securing climate-friendly wood and ensuring long-term raw material availability.
With climate change accelerating, forest resilience is under pressure. LIGNA 2025—taking place from May 26–30—will highlight how modern forestry is responding. From smart timber harvesting to climate-adapted reforestation, the industry is combining high-tech tools and sustainable practices to meet the growing demand for renewable wood. As Stephanie Wagner, Head of LIGNA at Deutsche Messe, notes, “People are at the heart of these efforts,” with a strong focus on safe, innovative, and socially responsible forest management.
Pavilions 33 and 35 will serve as the core of the forestry exhibition. Pavilion 33, known as the “Forestry Pavilion,” is organized by three major partners: the Forestry Training Centre of the Lower Saxony State Forests (NFBz), the Association of Forestry Contractors AfL Niedersachsen e.V., and the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG). Under the theme “People – Technology – Raw Materials,” exhibitors will showcase smart harvesting machines, safety innovations like remote-controlled felling wedges, and cooling clothing for workers in open sun-exposed areas—responding to the rise in occupational skin cancer.
Battery-powered tools are increasingly replacing traditional petrol-based machinery in young forest maintenance, a shift that reflects sustainability goals but also introduces challenges in charging infrastructure and fire safety. NFBz will demonstrate advanced cultivation and stand-establishment techniques using film and live examples.
In Pavilion 35, the spotlight shifts to research and innovation. Wald und Holz NRW and partners will present cutting-edge timber construction systems, including hybrid and hardwood structures for multi-storey buildings, as well as mobile living concepts using birch supports. New strategies for circular wood usage and a forest-based bioeconomy will be explored under the theme “New Raw Material Basis Wood.”
The pavilion will also host the special show “Follow the Timber,” presented by the Kuratorium für Waldarbeit und Forsttechnik (KWF). It will focus on digital traceability technologies, allowing raw wood to be tracked from the forest to the factory—a key step in ensuring sustainability and supply chain transparency.
Discussions at the NRW Stage will include circular economy strategies, digitalization in forestry, and EU-level climate policy. Start-up innovations and forward-looking recommendations for the forestry sector’s transformation will also be featured.
Among the fair’s highlights is the Forwarder Championship, a long-standing LIGNA tradition where drivers of heavy forestry machinery compete in speed and precision. A festive evening will also see the presentation of the Hans-Jürgen-Narjes Prize, recognizing excellence in forestry training.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, LIGNA 2025 reaffirms its role as a global hub for innovation, bringing together forestry professionals, policymakers, researchers, and technology leaders in pursuit of a sustainable wood future.
