As part of SDC’s Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans Programme, coordinated by Farmahem, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Economy (MAFWE), as a Country Partner Institution supported by the Regional Fire Monitoring Center (RFMC), organized the fourth meeting of the National LFM Network. Over 25 representatives from the science, practice, and policy sectors attended the workshop on March 28, 2024. The workshop aimed to gather stakeholders and experts to discuss and develop a Strategy for Adaptive Landscape Management and LFM Gap Analysis.
The workshop, attended by Minister Mr. Ljupcho Nikolovski, state advisor Mr. Sasha Jovanovic, and the head of the sector Mr. Jordan Zdravkovski from MAFWE, began with the Minister highlighting the establishment of the National LFM Network and the development of key documents through a participative process to guide future policies for landscape fire prevention. Mr. Cvetan Nikolovski, the LFMWB Programme team leader, emphasized improving cooperation on LFM at local and regional levels, enhancing capacities, and involvement of all stakeholders in the process.
Moreover, Mr. Bojan Mihajlovski, Country Project Staff in Skopje, presented the final draft of the LFM Country Report, stressing the importance of stakeholder collaboration in its preparation. He also presented the draft Strategy for LFM and Adaptive Landscape Management and the LFM Gap Analysis. In the final part of the workshop, the regional officer for forestry and landscape fire management at the RFMC, Mr. Velian Jagev, outlined the process for developing the LFM Strategy in North Macedonia.
During the workshop, participants engaged in fruitful discussions regarding the LFM Strategy at the national level. These discussions underscored the commitment of all stakeholders to address landscape fire challenges comprehensively and collaboratively. The Country Report’s role in portraying the current landscape fire situation and providing guidelines for enhanced LFM underscores its importance as a comprehensive tool for policymakers, scientists, and practitioners. Furthermore, the draft Gap Analysis’ identification of LFM gaps highlights its significance in shaping targeted strategies for improving overall landscape fire resilience.
