StrategyMedFor

💚🌍 Happy International Day of Forests! 🌿🌳 Today, we celebrate the incredible role forests play in sustaining life on Earth.  We want to take advantage of this occasion to remind you of their crucial role in the fight against climate change! 🌡️ Among their many functions, forests play a key role in: 🌱 Carbon storage  🌦️ Climate balance  🦋 Biodiversity protection  🌀 Reduction of natural disaster risks Let’s protect the lungs of our Earth before it’s too late! StrategyMedFor takes action to foster forest resilience, recognizing that every tree planted, every wood preserved, is a step forward for a healthier planet for future generations 🌲✨ #ForestDay #SaveTheForests #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #GreenPlanet  ETC-UMA CIHEAM Istituto Oikos CNPF Centre national de la propriété forestière University of Sarajevo Interreg Euro-MED Natural Heritage

March 21 is approaching and we get ready to celebrate the International Day of Forests! 🌲 This date was established by the UN in order to raise awareness about the dangers related to deforestation and to recognize the importance of protecting and restoring forests. Every year there is a different focus. The theme for 2025 is “Forests and food”, to acknowledge the importance of forests in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods: they provide us with fruits, nuts, roots, tubers, mushrooms, and edible plants which are the primary food source for many populations 🍄🥭🥥🌰 Moreover, forests are fundamental for agriculture as they preserve soil and water resources and they’re home to pollinators 🐝🦋🐦 🌱 The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) has published an amazing video that explains the benefits of these natural wonders for food. Let’s honor them planting a tree, reducing deforestation, or simply posting a photo of our favorite forest with the hashtag #ForestDay ! Every action counts 🌿💚 #SaveTheForests #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #GreenPlanet

🌿🇪🇺 StrategyMedFor in a nutshell! 👌 With the support of European funds in the framework of Interreg Euro-MED, our project aims to create a sustainable management strategy for Mediterranean forests, including a roadmap focused on protection, restoration, and resilience in the face of climate change and adapted to local needs. Key Highlights:  🌍 Regional collaboration through the exchange of data, maps and expertise to assess forest health 📊 Development of detailed maps to highlight priority areas for protection and restoration 🌱 Testing of methodologies in Greece, North Macedonia & Bosnia and Herzegovina ✅ Field validation through pilot sites to ensure the strategy's real-world impact Stay tuned for updates as we work together to safeguard these vital ecosystems! 🆙 #StrategyMedFor #Interreg #SustainableForests #Mediterranean #ClimateAction #ForestManagement #NatureConservation

🌳 The Mediterranean basin ranks as the world’s third-richest hotspot for plant biodiversity and is a major source of endemic species. However, its forests and woodlands are among the most threatened ecosystems, facing significant pressure from urbanization and intensive human activities. How can we protect, restore, and strengthen our forests? We introduce StrategyMedFor, a Project under the Interreg Natural Heritage Mission. Its main mission is to develop a Strategy for the Sustainable Management of Mediterranean Forests (SSMMF), a guiding document for the next decade, focused on protecting, restoring, and strengthening our forests. This project doesn’t just plan; it also acts by developing practical tools, like real-time forest condition maps and priority action areas, to support sustainable management at all levels. The team is working across three pilot sites — Samaria National Park in Crete, the Dinaric Alps in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Galičica National Park in North Macedonia. These areas were selected because they are addressing the region’s major challenges: climate change, wildfire risk, socio-economic shifts, and land abandonment. These are complex issues. StrategyMedFor team is optimistic: with collaboration and innovative tools, they can contribute to build resilience into Mediterranean forest ecosystems, ensuring their existence for generations to come. StrategyMedFor is a 33-month project that started in January 2024. Although it is still in its early stages, this year will focus on establishing the necessary criteria and sub-criteria to define the status and quality of the Mediterranean Forest. #naturalheritagemission #solvethechallenge2024 #Mediterraneanforests #SustainableForests #climatechange #interregeuromed Interreg Euro-MED Programme

🌲Shaping the future of Mediterranean forests 🌲 The Interreg Euro-MED StrategyMedFor project aims to create a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable management and resilience of #Mediterraneanforests. By adapting existing frameworks from FAO, UNECE/FAO Forests, and FOREST EUROPE, the project is refining relevant methodologies to meet Mediterranean needs and is establishing specific indicators that will enhance our ability to assess and monitor these forests accurately, facilitating informed decision-making and effective management strategies. The side event at the #8MFW offered an opportunity to adapt existing Criteria and Indicators frameworks to the unique #Mediterraneanforests’ needs. Participants engaged in an interactive process to identify and prioritise indicators relevant to Mediterranean ecosystems, ensuring the framework reflects the region's unique ecological and socio-economic conditions. Association Internationale des Forêts Méditerranéennes

StrategyMedFor launches first Consultation Workshop on sustainable Mediterranean forest management! 🌲 From Sept 17 to 19, at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (Ciheam Maich) in Chania, Greece, we bring together experts, stakeholders, and policymakers to share their knowledge, experiences, and insights on the vision, best practices, opportunities, proxies, measures for the Med forests. 🌳 More information on our website: https://lnkd.in/eU-cwx7h Stay tuned for updates on the workshop!

The recent meeting in Rovinj provided a valuable platform for StrategyMedFor to connect with fellow thematic projects and collaborate on achieving a shared vision: a greener and more sustainable future for Mediterranean forests. A big thank you to the organizers for a productive meeting! We at StrategyMedFor look forward to working alongside all partners to make this vision a reality. #StrategyMedFor #InterregEuroMED #NaturalHeritage #SustainableForestry #Mediterranean

StrategyMedFor Makes Big Strides at Medforval Meeting! StrategyMedFor had a powerful presence at the recent Medforval Annual Meeting in Fontecchio, Italy (June 5-7)! This key event brought together 25 practitioners from national parks and natural reserves across 9 Mediterranean countries. StrategyMedFor partners Istituto Oikos and CIHEAM-Chania presented the project goals and achievements so far. A highlight was the project's initial framework, which establishes crucial criteria and indicators for improved Mediterranean forest management. We also explored how StrategyMedFor will directly involve the Medforval network. This includes applying the project's indicators to member sites to assess local impacts, fragmentation, connectivity, and climate scenarios. Together, we can ensure healthy Mediterranean forests for generations to come! #StrategyMedFor #Medforval #MediterraneanForests #SustainableForests #ClimateChange #Biodiversity