The project teams of Pau Costa Foundation and Wageningen University & Research, visited Cyprus for a 3-day workshop event for the 4th Hands-on Training Short Course of SEMEDFIRE hosted by European University Cyprus – CERIDES in Nicosia.
The workshop was focused on Integrated Fire Management in Cyprus and its objectives were to:
➢ Increase understanding and engagement of all Cypriot stakeholders in wildfire prevention
➢ Favour discussion around wildfire management and biodiversity protection
➢ Co-build an integrated fire management strategy for Cyprus.
Officials from the Department of Forestry, the Fire Service, the Civil Defence, the Meteorological Service, the Development Directorate of the Ministry of Finance of the British Sovereign Bases, the Department of Environment and Agriculture, farmers and livestock breeders were invited and attended the workshop. The project in its entirety is under the auspices of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Dr. Maria Panagiotou.
During the workshop, the SEMEDFIRE project teams presented the current results of their work in the project, through the Imperial College of London, Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, the French Government through the General Directorate of Civil Security and Crisis management, the Pau Costa Foundation of Spain and the Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires, I.P. (AGIF) of Portugal.
The main topics of discussion of the first day of the workshop were the Strategic Management Areas and the tools with which the start of an uncontrolled forest fire can be prevented, and the manner and dynamics of its development can be mitigated and controlled. Issues such as controlled grazing, controlled burning, on-ground fuel management and protection of areas of high environmental value were high on the agenda.
The project teams of EUC-CERIDES, Pau Costa Foundation and Wageningen University & Research, also met with the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, for further coordination of future actions and exploitation of the results and conclusions of the completed SEMEDFIRE workshops.
The objective of EUC-CERIDES research centre, guiding the co-ordination of SEMEDFIRE and the organisation of its actions, workshops and exchange visits, is to avoid mono-thematic presentations. In all events the attendees actively participate in the planning of the Strategy with suggestions, comments, reflections and observations. Through the fermentation of each one’s experience, conclusions were recorded. An important conclusion is the immediate need to manage the abandoned lands in the countryside and the management of the huge volumes of biomass that exist in the natural space, constituting a real threat since they feed the evolution of an uncontrolled fire. Special reference was also made to the rational training, certification and management of the volunteer groups not only at the level of repression but also prevention and post-remediation of the landscape.
Project teams and AGIF representatives met with Forestry Department agents during the 2nd day of the workshop in Cyprus. After exchanging knowledge and experience with the local authorities, the teams visited areas of Cyprus with the Forestry Department agents. Selected areas are noted to be in need of cleaning, mainly due to the abandonment of the countryside. A site in the Nicosia District was selected, as it was considered the be the most suitable to pilot the implementation of the prescribed burning practice around February 2025, with a planned demonstration to interested parties.
Find out more and follow SEMEDFIRE’s activities, results and news on our Social Media Profiles: X.com, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
