Context /background of ProjectThe Mediterranean region is vulnerable to land degradation, which affects important sectors of the economy (agriculture, fishing, tourism) and the supply of vital goods (water, food). Although “actions to restore ecosystems and biodiversity have significant potential to create new skills, jobs and business opportunities” ((ED 2011/2307(INI)), there is a considerable shortage of skilled workers in this field due to the lack of proper training. This is especially important in Southern Europe, where youth unemployment is extremely high.Objective of the projectThe overall objective of LANDCARE was to improve training capacities in relation to Land Degradation and Rehabilitation (LD&R) in Southern Europe, in order to fulfil the demands of an emerging labour market and contribute to the green economy. LD&R is a field that requires training involving real study cases and hands-on experience. For this reason, the educational path proposed in the project combined short-term international mobility and innovative online learning: Personal Learning Editions (PLEs) and Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs). Employability skills were enhanced by means of personalized training and hands-on practices. To increase the scope of this strategy, the project reinforced interactions between students, educators, researchers, companies/agencies/NGOs and decision-makers.Number and profile of participantsThe consortium consists of 8 partners from Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy. The four academic partners comprise educators/researchers with recognized expertise in LD&R and project management. The partners also have university entrepreneurship abilities. The four professional partners include Small and medium Enterprises-SMEs, an NGO and decision-makers. The professional partners complemented the training and also increased the scope of the project outcomes. The coordinator (USC) is the academic partner with the strongest structures in place for virtual learning, employment and Quality Assurance.Description of activitiesThe main activities focused on training both staff (from academic and professional partners) and students (High Education Institutions-HEI, company staff and selected unemployed people). Teacher training included a) intensive training in innovative online learning tools (PLE, SPOCs) and b) short-term, joint events to reinforce training capacities in LD&R.The student training was based on two types of blended mobility. The concepts of LD&R were taught by means of an intensive study programme, involving mobility and flexible online training (PLE, SPOC). Practical experience and employment skills were provided by means of an internship programme combined with solid online and personalized training in employment and entrepreneurship. The trainees included HEI students, staff of companies involved in LD&R and selected unemployed people. As expected, certain teaching outputs of the project had strong multiplier effects: the development of blended mobility to enhance employability in the “Green Economy”, publication of the first handbook linking Land Restoration and employability opportunities and launch of a peer teaching network. The main multiplier social effect was the enhancement of the green economy to create jobs.Methods to be used in carrying out the projectThe project was divided in four main logistical phases:1. Stock-taking of good practice and evaluation of available materials and resources for LD&R training. 2. Collection and production of materials and case studies for the interactive courses.3. Implementation of a pilot project. The trainees travelled from the home institutions to attend training sessions and also used the online learning tools.4. Dissemination/multiplier events towards outcomes, at three levels: a) dissemination of good practice by all participants, b) interactive courses and an electronic platform involving universities, social media and alumni and c) launch of a LD&R network with peer teachers and experts.Short description of the results and envisaged impactThe impacts at individual levels include access to innovative methods and techniques in LD&R, improvement of language and digital skills and increased employability of the workforce. At organizational levels, the companies/agencies/NGO have benefitted from access to knowledge and special facilities and increased supply of skilled workers. University structures involving online learning and employment have also been reinforced. Help has been provided to decision-makers to solve certain environmental cross-border challenges.SustainabilityThe results of the project are maintained after the project as a result of the effects on the structures of the institutions. The products are published in open access. The creation of a network on training ensures the long-term impact of the benefits.

ContextForest fires are a complex problem in Europe, especially in Southern countries. Fire can seriously impact the environment, rural development and economy. Forest degradation is considered a key to the spreading of human diseases, as COVID-19. Although wildfire research and substantial technical advances have been made in recent years, we have not been able to provide quality training in Forest Fire Management (FFM). This requires inputs from related disciplines and stakeholders, continual updating and hands-on experience. Introducing innovative approaches in the FFM training will contribute to overcoming the shortage of skilled workers and will boost employment in fire-prone regions with high unemployment rates. Objectives The overall aim of FacingFIRE is to encourage social engagement among students to improve the capacities in FFM training and gender-balanced employability. FacingFIRE introduces the Service-Learning (S-L) approach to develop training projects in areas impacted by wildfires. The scope of which will be further enhanced by the use of innovative online learning tools and international collaboration. Employability skills, with special emphasis on women, will be boosted by hands-on practices and direct contact with employers. To transfer the project benefits to society, multiple interactions between educators, researchers, forest companies/ NGOs and decision-makers are planned. The project will promote employment among recent graduates. Emphasizing the role of women in forest management will also be an important statement in the project. All this will be done in the context of the current health crisis (COVID).Number and profile of participantsThe consortium comprises 9 partners from the most fire-prone regions in Europe: Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. The 5 academic partners (4 HEIs and 1 VET center) have recognized expertise in FFM and teaching innovation. The 4 professional partners (1 Forest Association, 1 Research center and 2 Decision-makers) and associates will play a key role in identifying the main training needs and enhancing the impact of the outcomes. The coordinator (USC) has vast experience in managing S-L projects and other environmentally-related educational projects.Description of activitiesIn order to reinforce FFM training capacities, the project will provide training activities for staff (academic and practitioners) and students. The training will include a) S-L management, b) innovative online learning (ePortfolio) and audio-visuals tools (SPOCs) and c) joint events between academia and stakeholders to exchange good training practices.To enhance this strategy, two types of blended mobility are planned for students. Practical experience and employment skills will be provided via international S-L projects combined with solid online and personalised training. Certain outputs will have strong multiplier effects on academic and professional sectors: a) use of S-L to address specific problems and reinforce employability skills, b) publication of the first guide to implementing S-L in fire-prone areas and c) launch of the first FFM training network to reinforce training capacities. Specific actions are designed to buffer the indirect consequences of COVID-19 on forest fires and employment.MethodsThe project will be divided into three phases:1. Staff training and production of materials for interactive activities with learners using innovative virtual tools.2. Development of pilot S-L projects, in which trainees will participate in international hands-on practices and use the online learning tools.3. Dissemination/multiplier events aiming to a) exchange good practices in S-L management, b) promote flexible and blended training involving both educators and stakeholders and c) launch of the first network in FFM training network. Results and envisaged impactsAt the individual level, the envisaged impacts include access to innovative training strategies, improvement of language and digital skills and increased employability. At the organizational level, the associations/policy-makers/research centers will benefit from access to state-of-the-art methods and a greater supply of skilled workers. The HEI and VET structures (teaching innovation, employment, gender equality) will be also reinforced by new procedures and skilled workers. The outcomes will benefit decision-makers and practitioners facing one of the most serious cross-border environmental and social challenges in Europe.SustainabilityThe network on FFM training network will open multiple possibilities for future cooperation. The outcomes will be maintained after the project as a result of the institution`s structures and procedures reinforcement (e.g. S-L recognition, gender equality). FacingFIRE is based on different EU policies (“Green Employment Initiative”, “EU strategy on Biodiversity “EU Youth Strategy”) and on the “Strategic framework for European cooperation in Education and Training.

Extreme wildfire events (EWE) are becoming a major environmental, economic and social threat in Southern Europe and increasingly gaining importance elsewhere in Europe. As the limits of fire suppression-centered strategies become evident, practitioners, researchers and policymakers increasingly recognise the need to develop novel approaches that shift emphasis to the root causes and impacts of EWE, moving towards preventive landscape and community management for greater resilience. FIRE-RES integrates existing research, technology, civil protection, policy and governance spheres related to wildfires to innovate processes, methods and tools to effectively promote the implementation of a more holistic fire management approach and support the transition towards more resilient landscapes and communities to EWE. To achieve this, FIRE-RES will, first, generate new knowledge on sustainable integrated fire management models that help to define what type of possible future scenarios (including climate change and general policies) should be promoted across EU territories. Second, it will identify and demonstrate innovations at the technological, social, health/safety, administrative, ecological and economic levels to define how and across which possible paths the future scenarios may be achieved in the EU. These innovations will be implemented in different regional contexts, and upscaled at the national and EU levels using an open innovation hub, promoting capacity building and partnership brokerage between public and private actors. Third, it will raise societal awareness and engagement on wildfire risk prevention, preparedness and response by leveraging existing national and cross-border networks at supranational levels. FIRE-RES is a transdisciplinary, multi-actor consortium, formed by researchers, wildfire agencies, technological companies, industry and civil society from 13 countries, linking to broader networks in science and disaster reduction management.