Last week in Barcelona, we held the 9th edition of MedForum, the general assembly of the Mediterranean Model Forest Network (MMFN), during Mediterranean Forest Week (MFW), organized by Silva Mediterranea (FAO) and the Mediterranean Facility of the European Forest Institute.
This parallel scheduling aimed to engage Mediterranean stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers attending MFW and to raise awareness of the Model Forest approach and Network. For this reason, the MedForum agenda not only highlighted recent Network activities but was structured as a two-day discussion on the MMFN’s role and vision in working together for sustainable and resilient Mediterranean forests.
MedForum 2024 - Day 1
The event was chaired by Toni Ventre and Elisabetta Gravano from the Tuscany Region, which has coordinated the MMFN Secretariat since 2019. They opened the first day of the meeting, followed by welcoming remarks from Giovanbattista De Dato (General Secretary of FAO-Silva Mediterranea), Christophe Besacier (Coordinator FAO – FLRM), Michele Bozzano (Head of EFI Mediterranean Facility and host of this edition of the MFW), Sandro Pieroni (Tuscany Region/Forestry Directorate), Pablo Sabin (General Secretary of Cesefor Foundation) and Patrick Wylie (IMFN Secretariat, Senior Policy Analyst and Mediterranean Regional Lead). Wylie also starts the proceedings with a focus on how Model Forests are working towards forest and community resilience around the world, presenting past, present and future programs such as the IMFN Climate and Canada’s Global Forest Leadership programs.
Following the introductory session, representatives from the Mediterranean Model Forest Network shared insights into their activities, challenges, and successes. First to speak was Dimitri Tsimplinas, president of the recently recognized Western Macedonia Model Forest (Greece), that was the occasion also for the Network membership certificate ceremony, acknowledging a 10 year process of work with the communities of the territory. Next, Abdelkrim Marzouk, President of the Ifrane Model Forest (Morocco), took us to the Atlas Mountains, highlighting forest and landscape restoration projects, the revitalization of the traditional Agdal pasture system, and engagement with local communities, especially youth, through school training and competitions. Alessio Di Giulio, President of Valle dell’Aterno Model Forest (Italy), shared an intriguing list of network project proposals aimed at connecting Model Forests around specific topics. Andrea Barzagli from Montagne Fiorentine Model Forest (Italy) then presented recent projects, including EU Horizons DigiMedFor and Sintetic project, environmental education in schools, and a national Forest Therapy initiative with an international event planned for spring 2025. Lastly, Istria Model Forest (Croatia) highlighted their organization of the Forest and Forest Fruits Festival, with the upcoming 2024 edition set to launch in a few weeks, following last year's success of attracting over 2,000 visitors. Before concluding the first round, we featured a recorded presentation by Mohamed Moumani, sharing the latest updates from the Tlemcen Model Forest (Algeria). Although unable to attend in person, he ensured his presence was felt in Barcelona.
To close the first day of the Forum, Lazhari Chater presented a report estimating the carbon credits needed for representatives from each Model Forest traveling to Barcelona for MedForum. The calculated amount will be allocated to a forest restoration, afforestation, or environmental education project within one of the Mediterranean Network Model Forests in 2025.
MedForum 2024 - Day 2
On Tuesday, November 5th, the second day of the Forum began with Helena Papa from Provence Model Forest (France), who shared the Association’s work on promoting wood and non-wood products from their region. Their initiatives involve local communities and stakeholders through projects and events that have become long-standing successes in the area. Next, we moved north to hear from Jaroslaw Bator, who presented on Oborniki Forest District Model Forest (Poland) and the future of the Northern Europe Model Forest Network. With other northern European representatives in attendance, Bator also provided updates from other Model Forests in the region, highlighting valuable opportunities for sharing knowledge, best practices, and potential future collaborations. Turkey followed, with Mehmet Özdemir presenting on the relaunch of Yalova and Bucak Model Forests. Lastly, Angela Blazquez from Cesefor shared updates on Palencia Model Forest’s candidate, including a recently funded project aimed at reactivating stakeholder partnerships and progressing toward official recognition.
Following session was dedicated to the Initiatives with Abderrahim Derrou from Midelt Model Forest initiative, Kamal Abbou Assi for the Shouf Reserve Model Forest initiative and the presentation sent by Hajiri Haska about the updates from the Voskopoja Model Forest Initiative.
After the Model Forest presentations concluded, another distinguished guest took the floor: Chadi Mohanna, Director of Rural Development and Natural Resources at Lebanon’s Ministry of Agriculture. He presented Lebanon's restoration policies and strategies, highlighting extensive efforts to conserve and restore landscapes and biodiversity, even amidst current war that threaten to undo years of progress in mere months by impacting local communities and ecosystems.
Last session was dedicated to the reporting of the activities funded by Canada's Global Forestry Leadership Program 2024/2025 and the launch of the upcoming Global Forum that after fourteen years will gather all the Model Forests of the International Network in Ottawa next May.
Toni Ventre opened the session summarizing the results of this first year of activities under the Global Forestry Leadership Program and officially launched a 15-month scholarship for Mediterranean youth in Forest and Landscape Restoration. Open to youth from MMFN Mediterranean countries, this €17,000 scholarship aims to enhance sustainable forest management, climate resilience, and cross-border collaboration.
Francisco Gallego from Cesefor presented the web platform they are developing to compile the FLR efforts of the Network’s Model Forests. This platform will enable the MMFN to monitor progress under the Agadir Commitment - a regional initiative aiming to restore 8 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, adopted during the Fifth Mediterranean Forest Week in Agadir, Morocco, in March 2017. The platform is nearly ready to host data from the Network’s restoration projects, and soon Model Forests will be invited to report on their FLR efforts. Andrea Barzagli from Compagnia delle Foreste also premiered the first episode of a new docuseries featuring the stories of those involved in hands-on restoration efforts. The pilot episode, filmed in Italy, showcases ‘community restoration’ activities in the Montagne Fiorentine and Valle dell’Aterno Model Forests. Filming will continue in 2025 across Morocco, Algeria, Lebanon, and other Mediterranean countries to complete this five-episode series.
Lastly, Patrick Wylie presented the upcoming Global Forum that will be based in Kemptville, in the Eastern Ontario Model Forest in Canada, from May 26-30th, 2025 and will attract up to 200 delegates representing over 60 Model Forests from around the world. The Forum agenda is still work in progress and Wylie takes the occasion to invite all the Model Forest to contribute with suggestions to shape what is shaping up to be one of the “places to be” of the next year.
Although the MedForum agenda has concluded, the work carried out by the Secretariat and the Model Forest representatives during the week continues. Mediterranean Forest Week offers an unparalleled networking opportunity for those involved in managing Mediterranean forests and landscapes. Many connections made during this time will evolve into future projects and collaborations, further strengthening the role of Model Forests in the region and fostering the growth of the Network.