The forest science research team is part of the Earth and Life Institute of the ‘Université catholique de Louvain’ (UCLouvain, ELI – Environmental Sciences) which comprises more than 300 scientists from various disciplines interested in the functioning of the Earth and in the design of sustainable management options. Our research interests concern the functioning of forest ecosystems, with a strong focus on the response of trees and stands to resources (e.g. carbon, nutrients, water) and controllers (e.g. light) under local – management driven – and global environmental changes. A special emphasis is given to the assessment of long-term fertility under different harvesting and deposition scenarios, to the functioning and impacts of mixed-species stands, as well as to carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems. Various approaches are used: in situ monitoring and manipulation of ecosystems, input-output-budgets, laboratory studies in controlled conditions, ecosystem characterization, process identification, modelling. The main disciplines are related to ecophysiology and functional ecology. Our team is currently involved in many regional (e.g. forest management oriented research supported by the forest service), national and international projects. It also participates to several national and international tree diversity networks. Finally, the team is in charge of the European long-term forest monitoring network (ICP forests level II plots) in Wallonia.