Through focused group work, institutional dialogue, and expert facilitation, North Macedonia took a step forward in shaping its National Strategy for Landscape Fire Management and Adaptive Landscape Management. The national LFM network meeting, held on 24 June 2025 in Skopje, brought together 40 representatives from government institutions, scientific bodies, civil society, and operational services.
The meeting was held within the framework of the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme, financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of North Macedonia in close cooperation with the Regional Fire Monitoring Center.
The workshop began with a presentation by Mr. Bojan Mihajlovski, the Country Project Staff for the LFMWB Programme in North Macedonia, who introduced the draft of the National Strategy. His overview set the stage for a constructive dialogue in which participants provided concrete recommendations based on their institutional experience and planning priorities.
During the interactive working sessions, participants engaged in reviewing and refining the draft action plan, with a particular emphasis on aligning it with the national strategic planning methodology. Under the guidance of Mr. Aleksandar Karaev, the groups discussed responsibilities, outlined practical actions, and mechanisms for inter-institutional coordination. Each group’s findings were shared in plenary, initiating productive debate and leading to a strengthened version of the action plan.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue the participatory process of developing the national strategy and to strengthen coordination among institutions. Stakeholders expressed readiness to actively contribute to the next steps in creating a unified and strategic approach to landscape fire management in North Macedonia.