Between 3-5 June 2026, Mediterranean forest experts, policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and representatives of international organisations gathered at the FAO Headquarters in Rome to celebrate the StrategyMedFor project.
Participants experienced an immersive journey through the project’s achievements, methodologies, tools, and future impact throughout the last two and a half years of collaborative work.
Participants´ highly positive feedback highlighted the relevance of the project’s outcomes and the need for a common strategic approach to sustainable forest management across the Mediterranean region.
A Journey Through Two Years and a half of Collaboration
Designed as a progressive exploration of the project’s results, the three-day event introduced participants to “The Framework for Sustainable Management of Mediterranean Forests”, which establishes a common strategic direction for Mediterranean countries facing increasingly complex socio-ecological challenges following a flexible and climate-adaptive approach.
Aimed at supporting informed decision-making and effective forest management, the framework is built around four guiding principles, implemented through five strategic goals and nine focus areas that connect long-term objectives with practical actions and measurable indicators.
Day 1 – Exploring the Foundations of the Framework
The event opened with an interactive poster exhibition presenting the key actions, findings, and outcomes generated throughout the project. Through a series of engaging displays, participants were guided through the challenges that inspired the initiative, the methodology, and the rationale behind the project’s strategic approach.
Attendees’ connection to the project’s findings and exchanges based on their own professional experience reinforced the widespread recognition of the need for a shared framework as a support mechanism for an informed Mediterranean forest management that addresses climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem resilience.
Day 2 – From Strategy to Action
The second day featured five thematic sessions involving leading experts and key stakeholders from across the Mediterranean forestry sector.
Discussions focused on the Forward-Looking Framework for Sustainable Forest Management in the Mediterranean Region, presenting the project’s strategic goals, the criteria and indicators, and the spatial tools supporting implementation and progress monitoring.
Participants also explored a number of transferable management support tools developed by StrategyMedFor.
One session focused on the assessment approach that tackles the growing impact of wildfires on Mediterranean forests. This management tool addresses the increasing fire frequency and severity, as well as fires’s implications ecosystem resilience and long-term sustainability.
Another session addressed the tools developed for Climate-informed Forest Spatial planning showcasing the solutions tailored for conserving biodiversity, enhancing ecosystem connectivity, and restoring forest landscapes. Participants discussed assessment tools and indicators to support species and habitat conservation,genetic viability, and long-term ecosystem recovery. The session featured research on climate-driven tree species migration and extinction risks, showcasing how modelling can inform adaptive forest planning and visionary forest management.
The exchange and applicability of Sustainable Forest Management tools was another central topic, showcasing both the solutions developed within StrategyMedFor for the Mediterranean region and their complementarities with FAO’s global geospatial resources and existing forest management instruments.
The day concluded with a forward-looking discussion on how the project’s results, tools, and lessons learned can be integrated into existing cooperation mechanisms in the Mediterranean region. Participants reflected on opportunities to strengthen regional collaboration, knowledge exchange, and long-term forest governance beyond the project´s lifetime.
Day 3 – Bringing The Framework into Practice
The final day featured a field visit to the Presidential Estate of Castelporziano, offering participants a practical demonstration of the effectiveness of StrategyMedFor tools in supporting sustainable forest management on the ground.
Participants visited a sustainably managed forest and cultural heritage site within the estate, highlighting the strong connections between forest conservation, landscape management, and cultural values in Mediterranean territories. Practical demonstrations illustrated how StrategyMedFor tools — particularly the IBP application and the mapping tools developed during the project— can support planning, monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making in forest management.
The field visit also provided valuable opportunities for informal discussions among participants, fostering exchanges on the practical application, transferability, and future use of the project’s results across different Mediterranean contexts.
Looking Ahead
As StrategyMedFor reaches its conclusion, the project leaves behind more than a set of tools and recommendations. It delivers a shared strategic framework, strengthened networks of collaboration, and practical resources to support sustainable, climate-resilient forest management across the Mediterranean.
The final event demonstrated not only the achievements of the past two years but also the strong commitment of the Mediterranean forestry community to continue working together towards healthier, more resilient, and sustainably managed forest landscapes.