ResAlliance – Landscape Resilience Knowledge-Alliance for Agriculture and Forestry in the Mediterranean Basin accomplised a major Milestone with the close collaboration of the EU-FarmBook!
The ResAlliance project, funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe CL6-2022-GOVERNANCE-01 Grant Agreement no. 101086600, has accomplished the compilation of Factsheets (2-pagers) and Research-Abstracts (4-pagers) based on the four types of solutions aiming at the implementation of landscape resilience; Governance, Management-practices, Technology, Finance. This ResAlliance collection of practical knowledge comprises the impressive number of 121 Factsheets and Research-Abstracts, presenting good-practices, case-studies and landscape-resilience relevant topics, with particular focus on the two pressing issues of the Climate Crisis in the Mediterranean; droughts and wildfires.
The collection of 121 solutions/practices/case-studies is available both via the ResAlliance-Factsheets resources and via the EU-FarmBook.
European University Cyprus, through CERIDES – Centre of Excellence in Risk and Decision Sciences, is a Partner in ResAlliance, and is in fact in charge of the “Cyprus LandLab“, one of the five “Land Labs“ of ResAlliance’s “Land Net”. Out of the 121 Factsheets and Research-Abstracts, there are 7, which are of particular interest and focus to Cyprus:
Factsheet by Gerry Lawson of the European Agroforestry Federation (EURAF), on “Agroforestry in the Cypriot Agroforestry and Climate Plans“. The Factsheet deals with how agroforestry is defined in Cyprus; whether it is mentioned in national energy and climate planning; as well as whether carbon-farming will make it more attractive.
Factsheet by Dimitrios Sarris (KES Research Centre) and Stephanie Polycarpou (Laona Foundation) of the LIFE – AgrOassis project, in co-authorship with EUC/CERIDES’ Klelia Vasiliou, Matthieu Jost, Pierantonios Papazoglou, George Boustras, on an innovative protocol for the “Installation of Hedgerows in Areas prone to Desertification using Drought Adapted Deep Rooted Plants“.
Factsheet by Kostas Aristeidou (Water Development Department of the Republic of Cyprus), in co-authorship with EUC/CERIDES’ Klelia Vasiliou, Matthieu Jost, Pierantonios Papazoglou and George Boustras, about “On-stream Ponds for Soil Retention on Burnt or Degraded Areas“, showcasing how the Department of Forests and the Water Development Department of the Republic of Cyprus build, post-wildfire, stream retention ponds for soil retention, peak flow attenuation, biodiversity support, and groundwater recharging purposes.
Factsheet “Controlling Rat Population with Barn Owl Artificial Nests“, by EUC/CERIDES’ Klelia Vasiliou in co-authorship with Pierantonios Papazoglou and George Boustras, showcasing a nature-based solution that reactivated farmers on abandoned land in Deneia, Cyprus.
Factsheet “Firebreak Vineyards: Natural Solutions to Retard the Spread of Forest Fires“, by EUC/CERIDES’ Klelia Vasiliou, showcasing Tsiakkas Winery as a case-study of the role of surrounding vineyards in containing a megafire.
Research-Abstract “Drystone Walling: An Ancient Practice and a Nature-Based Solution to Build Land Resilience“, by Commissioner Antonia Theodosiou and Environment Officer Marilena Papastavrou from the Office of the Commissioner for Environment and Animal Welfare of the Republic of Cyprus, in co-authorship with EUC/CERIDES’ Klelia Vasiliou, Pierantonios Papazoglou, Matthieu Jost and George Boustras. By combining field studies, material testing, and computational modelling, the study examines the structural integrity and durability of the unique Drystone constructions, which have great cultural significance in Cyprus and the Mediterranean at large. All the activities of the “Cyprus LandLab” of ResAlliance have been placed under the Auspices of the Office of the Commissioner for Environment and Animal Welfare of the Republic of Cyprus.
Research-Abstract “The ‘Pyropolis’ Wildfire-Management Serious-Game: Development of and Integrated Fire Management Strategy in Cyprus“, by EUC/CERIDES’ Matthieu Jost, Klelia Vasiliou, Pierantonios Papazoglou and George Boustras. By adapting from a previous game that was developed by our SEMEDFIRE-Advanced-Partner Wageningen University & Research, the EUC/CERIDES-team designed a simulative Serious Game on wildfire-management, entitled: “Pyropolis“. The game was designed as an interactive stakeholders experience for a Workshop in April 2024, to facilitate the involvement of local stakeholders in co-developing an Integrated Fire Management Strategy for Cyprus. Since then, Pyropolis is being further elaborated as a participatory tool to foster collective intelligence and promote land-planning for the prevention of wildfires.
