The objective of the International Association for Mediterranean Forests is to facilitate exchanges of knowledge and experience between people concerned about Mediterranean forest areas. In pursuit of this goal, in 2001 the IAMF organised a seminar in Valencia (Spain) concerning the risks incurred by Mediterranean forests, as part of the Interreg IIC project "The Problem of the Mediterranean Forest". Following on from this, it has set up a number of projects entitled "Structuring of networks and co-operation actions for the Mediterranean forest", and invited southern European Union partners to take part in them. The aim of these projects is to promote sustainable management of forests and to ensure they are taken into greater account in land-use planning policies.
They will take the form of exchanges between personnel from different organisations who will carry out experimental management operations in pilot territories.
Most of these actions are concerned with fire risk prevention through planning and organisation of forest areas.
The success of these operations will depend not only on the local projects themselves, but equally on the energy and dedication that will be devoted to the exchanges.
In order for the lessons learned to be beneficial to as many people as possible, they will be summarised and analysed by the IAMF, and then disseminated widely throughout its network. It will be possible to capitalise on them in the project currently under preparation "Mediterranean forests faced with worldwide concerns and local demands" which will lead to the First Mediterranean conference on forest and natural land areas.
