The world has just concluded the warmest decade on record and extreme wildfires are raging in many regions. Europe is increasingly experiencing longer fire seasons. Climate change is affecting the length and intensity of fire danger and “fuel-rich” European rural landscapes represent ideal conditions for wildfires to spin out of control.
Forging fire resistant and fire resilient landscapes, by promoting local agro-forestry-pastoral chains that support forest fire prevention, is acknowledged as a key strategy for large fires risk reduction. In its two years of work, the PREVAIL project has produced a knowledge base to inform effective actions. The public expenditure on fire prevention has been investigated across EU Mediterranean Countries and paths to improve the future efficiency of public spending have been identified. Initiatives that are making fuel management economically sustainable across Europe have been brought to the fore, via fire-smart marketing of related products and services. We have conducted an in-depth analysis of very large fires occurred in southern Europe, to develop an understanding of the ease or difficulty of stopping a large fire in the various vegetation/land use types characterizing Mediterranean landscapes. Accordingly, we have developed an easy-to-apply methodology for planning fuel management activities on a landscape scale.
It is our expectation, therefore, that this conference will be instrumental in transferring key exploitable project results to a wider audience.
Antonio Tomao (University of Tuscia)
Funds invested in forest fire prevention in Mediterranean countries
Gavriil Xanthopoulos (Hellenic Agricultural Organization – Institute of Mediterranean & Forest Ecosystems)
Where and when large fires occur in southern Europe and where they stop and simulated influence of fuel treatments on firefighting demand
Eduard Plana Bach & Marta Serra (Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia)
Lessons learnt to enhance wildfire risk mitigation through agro-forestry and fuel management activities: framing best practices and smart solutions towards fire resilient landscapes
Francisco Rego & Conceição Colaço (Centre for Applied Ecology Baeta Neves, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon)
Socio-ecological decision support system (DSS) for effective fuel management
Moderators:
Francisco Rego & Conceição Colaço(Centre for Applied Ecology Baeta Neves, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon)
Smart solutions documentary trailer (University of Naples Federico II, Compagnia delle Foreste)
Moderator:
Davide Ascoli (University of Turin)
Invited speakers:
Ana Noriega (General secretary PEFC Spain)
Inazio Martínez de Arano (Director of EFIMED )
Davide Pettenella (University of Padova)
Scientific Committee
Francesco Giannino, Mauro Moreno – University of Naples Federico II
Davide Ascoli – University of Turin
Anna Barbati, Antonio Tomao – University of Tuscia
Conceição Colaço, Catarina Sequeira, Vanda Acácio, Francisco Castro Rego – Centre for Applied Ecology Baeta Neves, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon
Gavriil Xanthopoulos – Hellenic Agricultural Organization – Institute of Mediterranean & Forest Ecosystems
Eduard Plana, Marta Serra – Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia
