Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FIRE-ADAPT (The Role of Integrated Fire Management on Climate Change Adaptation for Ecosystem Services in Tropical and Subtropical Regions)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2023-01-01 do 2024-12-31
Integrated Fire Management (IFM or sustainable fire management) has been identified by the international fire community as one of the key solutions to address the problem, requiring an interdisciplinary approach. IFM includes sets of actions aimed at reducing the extent and severity of undesired wildfires while maintaining (or improving) biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being.
FIRE-ADAPT aims at addressing the full diversity of fire types and their different contexts by bringing together expertise from across regions from the Mediterranean Basin and Latin America for the purpose of improving our understanding of the role of IFM for wildfire prevention and for enhancing natural and cultural ecosystem services. The consortium has set up six Study Hubs in Mediterranean countries (Spain, France, Italy) and Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina), to facilitate science-practitioner exchanges and to enhance collaborations and networking.
The ultimate intention of FIRE-ADAPT is to contribute to improving knowledge on what practices of IFM can enhance carbon abatement and nature-based solution potential, as well as wildfire risk mitigation, in culturally just and meaningful ways.
FIRE-ADAPT enhances knowledge sharing through an international network gathering researchers and stakeholders in Europe and Latin America. This network works together to provide scientific evidence on the needs and potential impacts of IFM on the societal and ecological dynamics of tropical and subtropical regions, while sharing and integrating approaches and knowledge.
The results of the project, including research outcomes, databases, guidelines and other resources are being made available to the wider research and practitioner community and ultimately translated into plain language for dissemination to the general population.
2023-24 were especially relevant to activate the network, establish new connections between the partners and finally, to consolidate the network. By the end of 2024, the project was able to engage a wide international and interdisciplinary network of over 160 scientists and practitioners working together to improve the understanding of the role of Integrated Fire Management in socio-ecologic systems.
A series of interdisciplinary actions are taking place to get together all the consortium and discuss across WPs transversally.
The initial Study Hub took place in Spain (May 2023), attended by representatives from most of the 24 partners in Europe, the UK, and Latin America. Local organisations were invited to present projects and build partnerships. The second Study Hub took place in Mexico (Dec 2023). It mobilised 15 consortium partners, and local and international organisations outside FIRE-ADAPT. The key relevance of this event was the implementation of a certified TREX (Prescribed Burning Exchange Program).
Finally, the third Study Hub in Brazil (June 2024) was a great success in terms of understanding the fire uses for biodiversity conservation and cultural heritage, and consolidating the knowledge-sharing network. Three more study Hubs will take place in the second half of the project (France, Argentina and Italy).
Datasets: five (5) created on cronosequences of prescribed burning sites; testing the use of Laser Scanners to evaluate post-treatment effects on fuel characteristics; Testing wildfire spread models to evaluate the effectiveness of fuel treatment strategies under diverse scenarios; Testing of a rapid protocol to monitor small animals after fire; Results of the "Survey on biodiversity monitoring in controlled or prescribed burning programs".
Handbooks and reports: nine (9) in preparation, that will be made available in the second period of the project.
Workshops organised: six (6) events organised: (1) Workshop on assessment of burned areas, hosted by UdG in Girona, Spain; (2) Methods to study the effects of fire on biodiversity in Brazilia, Brazil; (3) Illuminated by Fire: Emerging Paradigms for Integrated Fire Management Policies fuelled by Biocultural Diversities in Latin America and the Caribbean in Montpellier, France; (4) Fire, forests and human wellbeing in Rome, France; (5) Reflecting on positive fire futures for landscapes through visualisation and storytelling, hosted by UEA in Pantanal, Brazil; (6) Fire Modelling Development Brainstorming Meeting in Devon, UK.
PhD thesis under production: During period 1 we have had the participation of eight PhD students developing their research within the framework of FIRE-ADAPT, and several early career researchers at the postdoctoral level.