CERIDES Excellence in Innovation and Technology, European University Cyprus conducts Events on “Landscape Resilience and Integrated Fire Management“, which will take place in Cyprus on 10th and 11th of April 2024.
Wednesday 10th of April will be dedicated to Integrated Fire Management, with presentations from experts in fire management in Cyprus, France, Spain and the Netherlands. This workshop and associated participatory works are developed under the EU project SEMEDFIRE aiming at developing integrated fire management in Cyprus. The Event will take place at Classic Hotel Nicosia. Welcoming Speeches will be given by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture Rural Development and Environment of the Republic of Cyprus, Dr. Maria Panagiotou, and the CERIDES-Director Prof. George Boustras. Presentations from wildfire management experts and round table will include:
- Wildfire in Cyprus in the past years, Cyprus Fire Service
- Integrated Fire Management, Wageningen University – Michael Cacciapaglia
- Stakeholders involvement, Pau Costa Foundation – Júlia Nogués
- Interagency cooperation, French General Directorate for Civil Protection and Crisis – Lt Colonel Frederic Harrault
- Forest management in Cyprus, Cyprus Department of Forest
- Closing remarks and Event’s Evaluation, by Commandant Laurent Alfonso of the French General Directorate for Civil Protection and Crisis and CERIDES-Director Prof. Boustras
Thursday 11th of April will focus on best practices relating to landscape resilience. We will specifically focus on controlled grazing in strategic areas, agroforestry as firebreak, hedgerows development, but also on land abandonment issues and payments for ecosystem services. To share a better understanding on these issues, we will also conduct a short field visit at the end of the day. These activities are developed under the EU project RESALLIANCE. The Event will take place at Ktima Christoudia Winery, while the field visit will generally follow the route of Kato Drys – Ora – Odou – Farmakas – Nicosia. Welcoming Speeches will be given by the Respected Environment Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus Mrs. Antonia Theodosiou, and the CERIDES-Director Prof. George Boustras. Presentations and participatory works on landscape resilience practices will include:
- Land stewardship – a collaboration strategy for resilience, Ivette Casadevall Cufí – EMYS Foundation
- Controlled grazing in strategic areas, Marc Arcarons – Pau Costa Foundation
- Natural water retention measures, Kostas Aristeidou – Cyprus Water Development Department
- Discussions and World Café style interactions
- Field Visit
SEMEDFIRE is a HEU-WIDERA-TWINNING project funded by the European Commission under Grant Agreement no. 101079337. RESALLIANCE is a HEU-CL6-GOVERNANCE project funded by the European Commission under Grant Agreement no. 101086600.
These events will bring together a great diversity of actors: practitioners or representatives of professionals from the agricultural and forestry sectors; governmental and local authorities; research and educational institutions; civil society organisations and private sector involved in landscape resilience activities and fire management. Experts from Cyprus and across Europe will share knowledge and All participants will collaboratively and participatorily contribute to co-building and co-developing more integrated fire management for a more resilient landscape in Cyprus.
