Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the updraftplus domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/wordpress/wp-scapefire/site/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the wordpress-seo domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/wordpress/wp-scapefire/site/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the avia_framework domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/wordpress/wp-scapefire/site/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114
About SCAPEFIRE - SCAPEFIRE

ABOUT SCAPEFIRE

Contact

The overarching goal of this Project is to propose a landscape planning model that contributes to the prevention of rural fires, considering the ecological, economic, and social sustainability of the landscape. Some Portuguese landscapes are highly combustible due to the last four decades of inadequate policies. Despite the importance of spatial planning as a core component in rural fire prevention mentioned in the media and the political discourse, its definition and implementation are still to be accomplished.
The proposed Project is based on the assumption that a paradigm shift in land use is needed in favor of a lesser “fire-prone” and more sustainable model. Acknowledging the economic importance of the most fire-prone species, the aim is to create a landscape protection structure against rural fires that, without denying the economic significance that some more fuel species may have, ensures soil, water and biodiversity conservation, and socioeconomic viability. This structure will be adapted to each type of landscape. In addition to the proposal for a new land-use planning model, the economic evaluation of multifunctional agroforestry systems will be carried out.
Therefore, this Project aims to integrate the sectoral themes in a land-use plan.

Its main innovation lies in the transdisciplinary that has been usual, neither in rural fire research nor in public and political discussion. Most approaches focus on sectoral matters such as post-fire rehabilitation, fire behavior, vegetation characteristics, etc., rather than an integrative spatial planning proposal based on available sectoral knowledge.
The methodology elaborates a conceptual framework based on landscape ecology and fire behavior. The socioeconomic and ecological parameters will be gathered to map landscape typologies and vulnerability to rural fires. These analyses will inform the model and the selection of case studies. For each case study, a land-use plan will be developed, articulating the nature conservation (water, soil, and biodiversity), commercial and family agriculture, forestry, grazing, rural and nature tourism, and other activities that ensure the maintenance of the rural population. In parallel, it is intended to consider various types of land management, such as commercial forest stands, natural regeneration, close to nature forestry, forest-fruit, etc. The range of case studies will include the region, a municipality area, a medium-sized holding, and a smallholding area.
An economic assessment of agroforestry systems and a critical assessment of available funding modes (PDR 2020) will allow for the development of alternative proposals that will contribute to the transition from the current situation to implementing the proposed model, including the ecosystem services. The planning system, as well as the legal framework for forest management, will be analyzed. A statement of the ethics of the proposed intervention will contribute to the rationale of the proposal.

The core project team consisting of a permanent group of researchers based at LEAF/ISA/ULisbon, where coordination is located. This team will bring together researchers across several research centers of the University of Lisbon and other national institutions and the Pau Costa Foundation with extensive knowledge on fire ecology and operational fire management at the landscape level. The core team has extensive Landscape/Land-Use Planning experience at various scales, both in urban and rural spaces. In particular, the last two projects, financed by the FCT PTDC/AUR-URB/102578/2008 – National Ecological Network – a proposal of mapping and policies and PTDC/AUR-URB/119340/2010 – Potential Land-Use Ecological Plan. Application to Portugal, produced data at the national level essential to ecological-based planning. All this cartography was included in a spatial data infrastructure (http://epic-webgis-portugal.isa.ulisboa.pt/) that will be used as the primary input data of this Project. It is also worth mentioning the Project PTDC/GEO/65344/2006 – The social dimension of forest fires – Contribution to a Sustainable, Integrated Management.
Stakeholder participation will be present throughout the Project, through a group of researchers, public entities linked to Land-use planning, at the national level (Directorate General of the Territory), and local (Municipalities), but also owners and the Portuguese Federation of Local Development Associations (MINHA TERRA).