Successful Steering Committee meeting in Rome
One of the meeting's aims was to analyze the results from the mapping done by CRA, which will give an overall picture of the forestry-related institutions in the countries that participate in FORESTERRA. Another goal of the meeting was to discuss the four strategic research themes proposed by the task leader, EFIMED, which are global change, biodiversity, multipurpose landscapes and water. These themes were fine-tuned and approved.
Steering Committee and SAG members in Castelporziano Presidential Estate / Picture: IAMZ
The 18th October the event was opened by Giuseppe Scarascia (CRA), Luigi Perini (CRA) and the FORESTERRA Coordinator, Rocío Lansac (MINECO). Giuseppe Scarascia presented the results of the mapping and information exchange activities, which will provide the concrete basis for understanding the forest research framework in Mediterranean countries. Posters presented with the analyses of the results from each country.
Rocío Lansac (MINECO) and Giovanni Di Matteo (CRA) / Picture: IAMZ
Robert Mavsar (EFIMED) presented the progress in defining strategic research themes, from the call for ideas at the beginning of 2012 in the context of the Mediterranean Forest Research Agenda (MFRA), through the Scientific Workshop organized in Tunis and the mapping results presented by CRA.
The meetings of the 19th October the event were inaugurated by Ervedo Giordano (Scientific Committee of the Castelporziano Reserve), who explained that this reserve is one of the most studied areas in Italy, and by Giorgio Calzolari (Presidenza della Repubblica), who discussed the difficulties of preserving this natural area.
The Steering Committee agreed that the next Management Committee meeting will be held in Paris in May. The next Steering Committee meeting will take place at the Barcelona EFIMED annual meeting, in September 2013.
In parallel to the Steering Committee meeting, the SAG members also had a meeting, which was chaired by Yves Birot. The SAG includes relevant experts in forest research. This important consulting body proposed contacting the European Commission to identify ERA-Nets and platforms with opportunities for collaboration.
The day continued with an interesting field visit to the Castelporziano Natural Reserve and discussions of its forestry issues.
Group photo in Castelporziano Presidential Estate and Natural Reserve / Picture: IAMZ
