On 11–12 March 2026, representatives of the 14 community-based projects supported by the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme gathered in Skopje, North Macedonia, for a networking and knowledge-sharing event focused on strengthening landscape fire management (LFM) initiatives across the region.
The event brought together project grantees, programme representatives, and experts to exchange experiences, discuss lessons learned, and explore opportunities to scale up the impact of community-based initiatives implemented through the Community-Based Competitive Fund coordinated by Farmahem, within the Landscape Fire Management in the Western Balkans (LFMWB) Programme financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The meeting was opened by LFMWB Team Leader Cvetan Nikolovski, who welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of community engagement in preventing and managing landscape fires. Participants were also introduced to the objectives and methodology of the event by LFMWB Project Officer Jasminka Pashaliska Andonovska, setting the stage for two days of collaborative learning and discussion.
A keynote session by Brigite Botequim, Senior Researcher at the Collaborative Laboratory for Integrated Forest and Fire Management (CoLAB ForestWISE, Portugal), provided valuable insights into community-based landscape fire management approaches and shared lessons from Portugal’s experience.
Throughout the event, project grantees presented their initiatives implemented across the Western Balkans, highlighting results, challenges, and practical lessons from working with local communities. The presentations covered a diverse range of topics, including youth engagement in fire prevention, strengthening local capacities for wildfire resilience, initiatives in protected areas, and community-based approaches to landscape fire management.
Several projects showcased how engaging young people, farmers, and local stakeholders can contribute to raising awareness, improving preparedness, and strengthening cooperation between communities and institutions. Others highlighted innovative approaches to fire prevention, capacity building, and cross-border collaboration.
Beyond the project presentations, participants engaged in interactive discussions and collaborative activities designed to encourage peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange. Through participatory methods such as the OPERA approach and World Café discussions, participants worked together to identify priorities for scaling up community-based LFM initiatives and strengthening collaboration among projects across the region.
The networking event provided a valuable platform for connecting project teams, sharing practical experiences, and reflecting on how community-driven initiatives can contribute to building more resilient landscapes and communities across the Western Balkans.
By bringing together diverse actors from across the region, the LFMWB Programme continues to support knowledge exchange, innovation, and collaboration in landscape fire management, helping translate local initiatives into broader regional impact.