EFI Barcelona welcomes MEDFOR students at the Forest Economy and Policy seminar
Students from the Erasmus Mundus master programme in Mediterranean Forestry and Natural Resources Management (MEDfOR) from the University of Lleida (Spain) attended the seminar organised by EFI Barcelona entitled “Forest Economy and Policy” on February 14. The 15 seminar participants, coming from different countries such as Turkey, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Portugal and Spain, were able to learn in detail about the work carried out by the EFI Mediterranean Facility and FLEGT and REDD facilities.
The morning presentations were given by EFIMED researchers Carmen Rodríguez and Valentino Marini Govigli, who introduced the students to the European project SIMRA on social innovation in marginalised rural areas. Through a case study on Forest Defence Groups in Catalonia, attendees understood the importance of a civil society engaged in rural areas to boost innovative governance mechanisms in Mediterranean regions.
In addition, students had the opportunity to learn more about the concept of payment for ecosystem services from EFIMED Principal Scientist, Sven Wunder, who explained how this instrument of compensation to land users aims to ensure the conservation of the environment and the sustainability of the provision of resources to society. During the session, some successful experiences in Latin America related to climate change mitigation, watershed services and biodiversity conservation were presented.
Following this presentation, EU FLEGT and REDD forest governance expert Andrew Haywood, led the session on global forest policy and joint implementation of approaches to reduce deforestation and forest degradation and strengthen forest governance through the work of REDD and FLEGT facilities in developing countries. Lastly, the seminar concluded with a dynamic discussion on the potential of the bioeconomy for the Mediterranean.
Photo: Gerard Fernández
About MEDfOR Master programme
The MEDfOR Erasmus Mundus programme is a two-year world-class international master’s that focuses on the integrating theme of sustainability in Mediterranean forests and woodlands. The MEDfOR Master Programme aims to educate the next generation of leaders in forestry, natural resources, and public and private land management throughout the Mediterranean region. MEDfOR is part of the Erasmus Mundus Programme initiated by the European Commission. The Erasmus Mundus Programme is a co-operation and mobility programme that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education and promote intercultural understanding.
