Ten years have passed since the formulation of the Mediterranean Forest Research Agenda 2011-2020 (MFRA 2020). Meanwhile, climate and social change are rapidly transforming the underpinnings of the complex social-ecological systems at work in the Mediterranean, challenging the foundations of our research and innovation priorities.
Preeminent experts and distinguished co-authors in the domains of each of the four MFRA themes have prepared a high-level review of their topic within the Mediterranean context, highlighting critical gaps and laying the groundwork for fruitful future research supported by the MFRA 2030.
To present this new research agenda, EFI's Mediterranean Facility organised a series of webinars dedicated to each of the MFRA 2030 priority areas to foster discussion with stakeholders from across the Mediterranean.
Watch all the MFRA 2030 webinars here!
MFRA 2030 Themes
|
|
Theme A: Conservation and management of biodiversity and forest genetic resources Bruno Fady, French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) |
 |
Theme B: Forest resilience in a context of global change related forest disturbances Josep Peñuelas, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) Jordi Sardans, Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF) |
|
|
Theme C: Forest management addressing trade-offs and synergies between multiple ecosystem services Susanna Nocentini, University of Florence Bart Muys, KU Leuven |
|
|
Theme D: Social and business innovations and policy instruments to implement the Mediterranean forest-based bio-economy Laura Secco, University of Padova. With Elena Pisani, Elena Górriz-Mifsud, Mauro Masiero, Paola Gatto and Davide Pettenella |
MFRA 2030: a quick glance
In order to elaborate on the MFRA 2030, it has been essential to understand the state-of-the-art scientific literature dealing with the many dimensions, challenges, and opportunities of Mediterranean forests, and what are the central priorities for future scientific research.
The overarching aims of the MFRA 2030 process are the following:
- Reflect on the most relevant advances made by the Mediterranean forest research community, with special attention to the priorities set in the MFRA 2020
- Identify the most relevant common challenges that Mediterranean forests –understood as social-ecological systems– will be facing in the next decade, and
- Develop a common set of themes and strategic research priorities.
Co-creating the MFRA 2030
Creating the MFRA 2030 has been a collective effort, open to the participation of researchers, policymakers, stakeholders, and other experts from across the EFIMED network, and the Mediterranean forest-related community at large. We sought and still seeking contributions from and about Southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as from other Mediterranean climate areas. The final objective of this collective effort is to foster transnational research cooperation, mobilising research funds towards the agreed priorities.
How far have we advanced and what gaps remain?
To look ahead to a new MFRA 2030, we have also looked back to the past, specifically to the MFRA 2011 - 2020 (MFRA 2020), and tried to identify the most important research, significant advances, and innovations that were completed within each thematic area during the last decade.
We have engaged the EFIMED network itself and the wider Mediterranean community to reflect on the extent to which the objectives of the MFRA 2020 have been met.
|
|
An overview of expert inputs regarding the success of the previous Mediterranean Forest Research Agenda 2011-2020. |
 MFRA Project Reference List |
Completed or ongoing projects from the past ten years that address the four thematic areas covered by the MFRA 2011-2020, as identified by the experts consulted in our survey. |
|
|
Scientific publications written in the past ten years that address the four thematic areas covered by the MFRA 2011-2020, as identified by the experts consulted in our survey. |
