Extreme events such as droughts, heatwaves, storms, and the associated intensification of bark beetle outbreaks in Norway spruce forests in recent years have led to large-scale forest loss in Central Europe. Various options for post-disturbance management exist, from complete clearing to no intervention, but their pros and cons in the context of multifunctional forest management remain unresolved. The interdisciplinary “ResEt-Fi” project (“Pioneering reforestation: Regional management for establishing multifunctional forests on post-disturbed Norway spruce areas”) comprises a cross-regional field trial to test how specific practices of deadwood retention affect the ecological conditions and subsequent reforestation of natural and artificial regeneration. It aims at generating climate-stable mixed forests, balancing ecosystem functioning and socio-economic benefits. Rather than presenting a conventional empirical study with finalized results, we reflect upon an integrated and transferable research framework for investigating post-disturbance forest management across spatial scales. We present the rationale behind different deadwood management strategies, the nested experimental design of the cross-regional field trial, the ecological response framework, upscaling approaches, and future perspectives. Based on this scientific foundation, evidence-based recommendations and application scenarios can be developed to support forest managers and other stakeholders in selecting site-specific post-disturbance management strategies.