On 9–10 September 2025, the SDC’s Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme organized a post-fire monitoring training in Pehchevo, North Macedonia, bringing together local forestry practitioners and experts to strengthen capacities in post-fire forest assessment and management.
The training was based on the methodology of the Bachelor thesis “Structured survey and comparison of post-fire landscapes after two major fire events in Maleshevo-Pijanec, North Macedonia,” financed by the LFMWB Programme. This research, conducted by Samuel Strub (BSc, Forest Science) from the Swiss School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL-BFH, applied a permanent sample plot monitoring system, adapted from Swiss methodologies to the local context, to evaluate the resilience and recovery of forests affected by the 2021 and 2024 fires in the region.
The first day of the training took place at the Educational Centre in Negrevo, where the research findings were presented and discussed with foresters from the Pehchevo and Delcevo forest branches of the public enterprise “National forests”. Key topics included post-fire management practices, the legal requirement, and considerations for future species selection in the face of climate change. The discussions highlighted the importance of combining scientific monitoring with practical management strategies to ensure resilient forest landscapes.
On the second day, participants applied the methodology in the forest, visiting seven different stands with diverse fire impacts and species compositions. Through hands-on training, foresters gained practical experience in monitoring post-fire forest development and understanding the dynamics of burned stands. The fieldwork reinforced the theoretical concepts introduced the day before and provided a platform for exchanging knowledge and ideas on effective post-fire management.
The training successfully strengthened the local foresters’ capacity for post-fire monitoring and forest restoration, fostering collaboration between experts and local practitioners. It also set the stage for future annual monitoring, which will allow for more robust assessments of forest recovery and inform long-term strategies in the region.