- Climate change and socioeconomic transformations make Mediterranean forests more vulnerable to drought, fires and pests.
- The training will take place in Zaragoza from 15 to 20 April 2024, and will gather international experts in forest ecosystem planning and management.
Zaragoza, 17 January 2024.- Mediterranean forests are increasingly more vulnerable to droughts, fires and pests due to the impact of climate change and socioeconomic transformations. In order to conserve these forested areas and improve their resilience, CIHEAM Zaragoza and the public research centre CREAF are organising the international course ‘Management Strategies to Improve the Resilience of Mediterranean Forests’ that will look into the most appropriate strategies and tools for forest ecosystem management in a context of global change.
Maite Aguinaco from CIHEAM Zaragoza and academic coordinator of the course, describes the training: “We have designed a high-impact programme with guest experts from international organisations, universities, research centres and administrations from different countries to address a topic that we consider a top priority in the Mediterranean. The training will combine theoretical and practical sessions, real case studies, and a technical visit to see an example of forest management in situ”.
CREAF undertakes the scientific coordination of the training and has actively contributed to the design of the course content. The speakers include experts from CREAF; the Regional Office of the European Forest Institute for the Mediterranean (EFIMED) - also a collaborating partner of the course; the University of Lisbon; the Austrian University BOKU, and the French research centre INRAE.
"A high-impact programme with guest experts from international organisations, universities, research centres, and the administration services of different countries that will be addressing a priority topic in the Mediterranean." — Maite Aguinaco, CIHEAM Zaragoza
The course will focus on forest resilience, defined as their capacity to withstand pressures and environmental changes without compromising their essential characteristics and functions. It is tailored for professionals in the public or private sectors engaged in the maintenance and conservation of forest ecosystems in regions with Mediterranean climates.
Participants will gain a practical insight into how to assess the resilience of Mediterranean forests and enhance their knowledge and skills in forest management to deal with key hazards such as droughts, fires and pests.
The course has 50 places (25 face-to-face and 25 online). It will be given in English and held at CIHEAM Zaragoza on the Campus de Aula Dei from 15 to 20 April 2024.
