With summer just around the corner, it is this time of the year when many of us get a chance to step back, recharge, and enjoy the outdoors. From ETC-UMA´s side, as we head into the vacation season, we want to take a moment to highlight some of the projects we have been busy with lately. From forests to wetlands, our team has been working across a variety of ecosystems, contributing to better understanding these ecosystems’ condition, prioritising environmental protection, and defining sustainable pathways for their management. Take a quick look at some of the most exciting developments from this year and explore the impact we’re making.
Within StrategyMedFor, our team has been collaboratively working towards a future-looking Strategy for Sustainable Management of Mediterranean Forests that will strengthen forest restoration and conservation policies ensuring a higher climate resilience in the region.
During this time of year, the Mediterranean Sea is filled with recreational boats, which can have a significant impact on certain sensitive regions of the sea. At ETC-UMA, we are fully aware of how vulnerable some marine species and ecosystems are to these maritime activities. In collaboration with the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation and other partners, we have mapped the impacts of Blue Tourism in the whole Mediterranean basin. More here.
And of course, we haven’t forgotten about wetlands. We’ve made significant progress in the Wetland4Change project, advancing flood management solutions for Mediterranean coastal zones. This progress is the result of strong commitment, teamwork, and expert meetings, including one held at our center with partners from Tour du Valat and the University of Valencia, check the outputs of this meeting here.
And speaking of wetlands, we’ve also been involved in the Restore4CS project, which released two policy briefs, first policy brief entitled “How can coastal wetlands help achieve EU climate goals?“ followed by the second recently launched brief entitled “Unlocking Potential of Coastal Wetlands in Europe: Integration into National Restoration Plans“. This project focuses on wetland restoration, with the goal of boosting climate resilience and improving biodiversity. It’s been exciting to see how our research is contributing to shaping better policies for wetland conservation.
We don’t just work from behind a desk! ETC-UMA is also engaged in monitoring in situ nature conservation and restoration progress and in influencing political and social realities on the ground. This is exactly what we did from July 8 to 12 in Lebanon as part of ETC-UMA’s role as external evaluator in the BioConnect project. During this visit, our Director, Dania Abdul Malak, had the opportunity to assess the project’s progress in strengthening Protected Areas and OECMs across the country. She also held key discussions with the Lebanese Minister of Agriculture, as well as Protected area managers and NGOs. The visit further highlighted progress in the Mount Hermon Nature Reserve and efforts towards Lebanon’s first GeoPark in the Shouf-Jezzine area. Explore the storymaps developed by ETC-UMA for more insights on the conservation efforts held so far.
Happy summer break and from ETC-UMA we will be back in September to continue working for a greener and bluer planet!
