Abstract
The concept of ecosystem health or forest health, which was initially defined in terms of protecting forests against pests and diseases, is now being re-examined in the light of new social, scientific and technical challenges. Understood in a very broad sense, the health of forest ecosystems raises questions in the scientific community about environmental, economic and social issues. In the context of global environmental change, the issues of forest stability, disturbance, degradation, change and resilience are the subject of much research. The links between human health, animal health and the functioning of ecosystems are also a rapidly developing field in the context of the One Health issue. Thinking about the health of forest ecosystems is also linked to scientific and technical issues concerning monitoring and the development of indicators for integrated information on the state and dynamics of ecosystems.The ‘Health of forest ecosystems: issues for society’ (SANTECOFOR) conference was held on 21 and 22 March 2023 at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, as part of International Forest Day 2023. Co-organised by the ‘ECOFOR (forest ecosystems)’ public interest group (GIP), it was a success, attracting researchers from the humanities and social sciences as well as the biological and environmental sciences, with 34 papers in 4 sessions and over 160 participants.