MedForum 2025

The Mediterranean Model Forest Network (MMFN) announces the 10th edition of its flagship event, MedForum2025, taking place on May 26, 2025, in Ottawa, Canada, at the Kemptville Campus Education and Community Center in the occasion of the IMFN Global Forum.

With the theme "Boosting the Glocal Approach of Model Forests to Tackle Glocal Challenges," the Forum will spotlight how Mediterranean Model Forests continue to bridge local knowledge and global strategies to address the climate, ecological, and social issues of our time.

This year’s agenda features:

• Key updates from the IMFN Climate Funding Program
• A spotlight on the EDUCASE project and MMFN’s new Forest & Landscape Restoration Monitoring WebPlatform
  
• Strategic insights from institutions like FAO, European Commission, and Union for the Mediterranean
  
• A dynamic brainstorming session across four working groups on wildfires, biodiversity, education, and landscape restoration
• The signing of the collaboration agreement between MMFN and the Mediterranean Youth Task Force (MYTF)

MedForum2025 will be a space for sharing innovations, forging partnerships, and reinforcing youth engagement.

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BOOSTING THE GLOCAL APPROACH OF MODEL FORESTS TO TACKLE
GLOCAL CHALLENGES - Report from the Med Forum 2025

This year Med Forum took place in Kemptville - Ottawa, Canada - on the opening day of the IMFN Global Forum, in parallel with the meeting of all the other Regional Networks from around the globe. The annual gathering of the Mediterranean Model Forest Network, bringing together representatives from Italy, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, France, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon and, for the first time, Tunisia, the latest new Model Forest MF Initiative.

The Med Forum is more than just a meeting: it's a vibrant platform for exchanging best practices in sustainable management; not only of forests but of Mediterranean landscapes as a whole. By aligning local and global perspectives, the Network aims to address today’s most pressing challenges, from the climate crisis to socio-economic development, fostering collaboration among all stakeholders involved.

The meeting opened with welcome remarks from Toni Ventre, General Secretary of the MMFN, and Richard Verbisky from the IMFN Secretariat. They emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in advancing forest and landscape restoration.

The session then focused on the IMFN Climate Funding Program. Toni Ventre introduced the progress achieved over the first two years and outlined the goals for the third. Silvia Vannini presented the EDUCASE Project, highlighting its role in promoting climate and inclusive focused education. Paolo Sabin, from Cesefor, showcased the MMFN’s new web platform for monitoring Forest and Landscape Restoration efforts. Andrea Barzagli, Compagnia delle Foreste, shared recent communication initiatives aimed at increasing outreach and engagement. Lazhari Chater concluded the segment with updates on hiring and scholarship activities designed to strengthen capacity and youth engagement across the network.

Thanks to the support of the Environment and Natural Resources in Canada and of the Forestry Sector of Tuscany Region, this year’s event hosted not only representatives from the Mediterranean Model Forests but also international experts who contributed to enriching the dialogue and strengthening the Network. Among the notable guests were:

• Alessandra Stefani - President of the National Forest-Wood Cluster (Italy) - presenting the Italian Cluster Forest and Wood as an action of italian forest strategy:opportunities and perspectives;
• Alessandra Sensi - Union for the Mediterranean - presenting the 2030 GREENERMED agenda for Forest and Landscape Restoration;
• Christoph Besacier - FAO Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism - describing their ongoing restoration efforts in the mediterranean region and way forwards;
• Giuliana Torta - Climate adaptation policy expert at the European Commission - bringing a multilateral perspective on climate resilience and forests;
• Satia Ras - Coordinator of the FAO-led Mediterranean Youth Task Force - with the MYTF Roadmap 2024 aimed to strengthening youth engagement in mediterranean forestry;

Following the presentation by our guests, the participants took part in a collaborative brainstorming session organized in four Working Group (WG) on these key themes:

• WG1: WILDFIRES | The Model Forest approach to prevention: between silviculture and firewise communities
• WG2: STRONG ECOSYSTEMS, STRONG TERRITORIES | Biodiversity and resilience in territorial development
• WG3: LEARNING FROM (AND IN) THE FOREST | Environmental education, art, and forest pedagogy to connect people - and territories.
• WG4: COMMUNITIES AND LANDSCAPES | The Model Forest approach to Forest and LandscapeRestoration

Together, we asked: What role can Model Forests play in guiding communities through these complex challenges? How can we connect local action with global strategy?

Finally we also celebrate the collaboration between MMFN and the Mediterranean Youth Task Force by signing a memorandum of understanding aimed to strengthen this important partnership.

Across the years the Med Forum continues to be a unique moment to reflect, exchange, co-create solutions that bring communities back to the heart of sustainable development and to plan next shared projects and activities.

Photos: © Pilar Valbuena / Global Landscapes Forum