What we do
StrategyMedFor tackles sustainable management of Mediterranean forests by creating a strategy for each forest type, taking future climates into account. We leverage new technologies and combine data across the region to develop this framework. Our goal is to make this framework a key document for the next decade, providing scientific recommendations for forest protection, restoration, and building resilience. We’ll also create tools to improve sustainable management at all levels.
TIMELINE
Based on maps and geodata, combined with the expertise of project and associated partners and the review of existing literature, the project determined criteria and sub-criteria to define the status and quality of Mediterranean forests.
Jan 2024 – Jan 2025
Jan 2025 – Jun 2025
These criteria were adapted to information layers and geodata to generate maps of high ecological value forests, degraded forests and abandoned lands. Adding other data, the project produced a final map of priority areas for protection, restoration and resilient management.
Our methods have been evaluated and tested in 3 countries: Greece, North Macedonia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Both criteria and cartography were validated on the field in 3 different pilot sites (cf below).
Jun 2025 – Jan 2026
Jan 2026 – Jun 2026
The successful implementation of StrategyMedFor has been supported by knowledge transfer, capacity building, experience sharing, collaborative governance, networking and transboundary cooperation among public, private and non-governmental Mediterranean institutions involved in research, management, development and education, at international, EU and local levels.
Our framework and toolbox will be transferred in 4 countries in the Dinaric Arc: Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia.
Jun 2026 – Jan 2028
PILOT SITES
Our 3 pilot sites, carefully selected and managed, stand as a cornerstone of the project’s mission. Project Partners and Associated Partners converge at the grounds of these sites: Dinaric Alps (Sarajevo Canton, mountains Bjelašnica and Igman – Bosnia & Herzegovina), Samaria National Park (Greece), and Galičica National Park (North Macedonia).
The data collected on these sites fuels the optimization and validation of the Forward-looking framework for Sustainable Management of Forests in the Mediterranean region and its consequent thematic cartography. Through field observations and expert consultations, strategies will be validated and refined, ensuring their efficacy and relevance. These plans, shaped by local priorities and cartographic insights, pave the way for targeted actions in protection, restoration, and sustainable management.
Dinaric Alps
Samaria National Park
Galičica National Park
TRANSFER SITES
The Transfer phase builds on the knowledge and experience gained through these three pilot sites, extending the StrategyMedFor approach to four new territories in Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Slovenia. The new Transfer sites will provide an opportunity to adapt and apply the Forward-looking Framework and its toolbox to different territorial, ecological and governance contexts.
Through tailored capacity building, knowledge exchange and collaboration with receiver institutions and local stakeholders, the Transfer phase will support the practical uptake of the tools for climate-resilient forest management, biodiversity conservation, restoration, fire-risk prevention and evidence-based spatial planning. The experience gained will also contribute to the further replication and wider uptake of the StrategyMedFor approach.
Albania
Croatia
Montenegro
Slovenia
The StrategyMedFor project is a multifaceted effort, but our core mission is clear: to develop a robust and adaptable framework for sustainable management of Mediterranean forests. Through a combination of cutting-edge technologies, in-depth research, and collaborative partnerships, we’re working towards a future where these vital ecosystems thrive.
