The Pandoteira project had two new networking opportunities in September.
European Landscape Ecology Congress
Members of our team from the Open University of Cyprus participated in the European Landscape Ecology Congress, which took place in Bratislava (Slovakia), between on September 2 – 5, 2025. The cοngress brought together dozens of academics and researchers from across Europe, providing an important platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences.
During the congress we had the opportunity to present the relevant results of the Pandoteira project. The presentation, titled “Unlocking Nature’s Value in Cyprus: The Contribution of Protected Areas to Ecosystem Services”, focused on outlining the methodological approach and sharing the first qualitative insights from the Ecosystem Services assessment of Natura 2000 areas in Cyprus.
In addition, the results of our project concerning the mapping of ecosystem services in selected areas of the Natura 2000 network were presented.
MPA4CHANGE Training
A member of our team from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research participated in the MPA4CHANGE Training on Vulnerability Assessment (VA), which was held between September 22 and 26, 2025, in Croatia. The aim of the training was to share tools and ideas to help Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPA) adapt to a changing climate.
Over three days, 11 managers of Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas—coming from Tunisia, Slovenia, Turkey, Croatia, and Cyprus—immersed themselves in the tools developed by MPA4Change. They learned how to:
- Apply the climate vulnerability assessment tool to evaluate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity in their MPAs.
- Design participatory processes that include all relevant stakeholders.
- Transform these analyses into adaptation and mitigation plans that strengthen marine management from both ecological and social perspectives.
It is expected that future collaborative initiatives and participation in joint research efforts will emerge through the implementation of the MPA Vulnerability Assessment Tool and the integration of its results into the management plans being developed under the Pandoteira project.
