Innovative ecosystem-based plan to adapt to climate change in the Karst. Promoting Fire-resilient forestry supported by Industry 5.0

The Karst Firewall 5.0 project addresses two challenges in the program area: wildfires and their governance. It aims to develop innovative action plans to preserve the health of the Karst region and maximize its resilience, with a forward-looking approach. Wildfires in the Karst region are primarily a result of ongoing climate change, as indicated by studies attributing changes in the wildfire regime to climate change. Current firefighting and wildfire management strategies are becoming less effective, necessitating new adaptive approaches. Given the transboundary nature of the study area, situated in the Karst landscape between Italy and Slovenia, it is crucial to promote cross-border cooperation between both countries. This collaboration is essential to address the urgent need for wildfire risk reduction and the development of timely response strategies, as highlighted by the significant wildfire event in the summer of 2022. This project integrates two broad umbrella concepts: socio-ecological and socio-technological systems. It aims to facilitate increased dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders directly involved in wildfire response and management on both sides of the border, as well as among actors from various sectors, including the broader community affected by wildfires.