The role of agriculture in wildfire management of Mediterranean ecosystems
Wildfires are an increasingly relevant issue in the Mediterranean region. This STSM explores how agricultural practices can support wildfire management in Mediterranean rural areas. We will focus on municipalities in north Sardinia (Italy) where agriculture and fire management are closely interconnected.
The research will examine how local stakeholders perceive the role of fire, which social and ecological factors drive wildfires in agricultural landscapes, and what opportunities fire-smart land uses offer for preventing the spread of fire.
By improving understanding of fire’s role in Mediterranean agricultural systems, the project contributes to the development of fire-resilient landscapes that balance fire risk reduction, sustainable food production, and local resource management. Results will inform a joint publication by researchers from the University of Göttingen and the Italian National Institute for Research (CNR).
Baratz lake: the only natural lake of Sardinia, located north of Alghero (West sardinian coast).
A forest of Taxus baccata called “Sos Nibberos”. This was one of the first ecosystems I visited, and that day, it was cold, foggy and windy, giving the forest a magical halo. Photo by Maria Chiara Camporese.
Cattle, sheep, goats and pigs are often kept in extensive systems called “brado” or “semibrado”, as they are allowed to roam freely in big plots of land, and eat whatever they enjoy most.
Pastures in north east Sardinia are often characterised by the presence of cork oak trees. The sheep graze the vegetation, mantaining it low and provide an extra source of income with their milk and meat.
North Sardinian mosaic landscape is characterised by small plots mostly used for pastoralism activities. Stone walls separate the properties and are often overgrown with brambles. The mediterranean vegetation quickly takes over the abandoned plots. Image 1 Image 2 Image 3
Through interviews and field visits in Alà dei Sardi, Montiferru, and Suni/Sindìa, I was able to explore three very different relationships between agriculture and fire: wildfire prevention in cork oak landscapes, post-fire recovery in ancient olive groves, and the controlled use of fire in pastoral systems.
The mission allowed me to connect with researchers from CNR-IBE and AGRIS Sardegna, fire-management experts from GAUF, foresters, farmers, shepherds, and local institutions. These contacts were essential for the fieldwork and create a valuable basis for future collaboration and knowledge exchange.
One of the most important insights was how deeply fire resilience depends on the everyday work of people who manage, cultivate, and care for the land. Farmers, shepherds, and land managers showed how local knowledge of vegetation, terrain, wind, and seasons can contribute to maintaining active, productive, and fire-resilient landscapes.
Short-Term Scientific Missions
2026The role of agriculture in wildfire management of Mediterranean ecosystems
Focus Region: Northern Sardinia, Italy
1) Background and Research Approach
In recent years, the Mediterranean region has experienced wildfires of increasing frequency and intensity (Granizo et al., 2025). These changing wildfire dynamics are driven by a combination of environmental and socio-cultural factors, including prolonged droughts, shifting rainfall patterns, extreme winds, rural abandonment, and insufficient land maintenance, which contribute to the accumulation of flammable biomass (EASAC – the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council, 2025; Salis et al., 2022).
While wildfire suppression capacities continue to improve, it is increasingly clear that suppression alone is not sufficient. In Mediterranean rural areas, greater attention must be given to prevention, preparedness, and adaptation (Bacciu et al., 2025). In particular, indirect wildfire prevention through rural development, integrated landscape management, and the planned use of fire remains underexplored (Bacciu et al., 2022). These approaches address wildfire risk from a socio-cultural perspective and highlight the role of rural economies in managing fuel loads and maintaining resilient landscapes (Wunder et al., 2021; EASAC, 2025).
This study investigates how agricultural practices can contribute to wildfire prevention, preparedness, and adaptation in Mediterranean rural landscapes. It focuses on the role of agriculture in reducing biomass accumulation, supporting sustainable food and material production, and identifying leverage points for integrated wildfire management.
The research was conducted in three case-study areas in Sardinia, Italy:
The research addressed three main questions:
To answer these questions, I used a qualitative research approach based on semi-structured interviews with farmers, shepherds, foresters, researchers, and other land-management actors. The aim was to better understand stakeholders’ mental models of fire, agriculture, and landscape management. The fieldwork lasted approximately 60 days and took place between March and May 2026.
By examining the role of fire in Mediterranean agricultural ecosystems, this research contributes to the development of fire-resilient landscapes that combine sustainable production, biomass management, local knowledge, and integrated resource governance.
2) Preliminary Results
Through 30 interviews with local stakeholders, wildfire prevention emerged as a shared concern across all interview partners. However, the role of agriculture in fire management differed significantly between the three case-study areas.
In Alà dei Sardi, cork oak producers emphasised the importance of managing vegetation around trees. This practice provides multiple benefits: livestock can graze under the trees, creating an additional source of income; cork quality may improve because trees are less affected by fungal and bacterial growth; and, if wildfire enters the property, reduced undergrowth can lower fire intensity and limit damage to cork oak trees. This example shows how agricultural management can contribute directly to wildfire prevention while also supporting local livelihoods.
In the Montiferru area, the 2021 wildfire had severe ecological, economic, and cultural impacts. Around 13,000 hectares burned, including thousands of ancient olive trees and one olive tree estimated to be around one thousand years old. In response, local producers collected genetic material from local olive varieties and grafted it onto surviving rootstock. Although recovery is slow and policy support remains limited, these producers are actively mobilising local knowledge to restore both the agricultural landscape and its cultural heritage.
In Suni and Sindìa, fire plays a different role. Here, shepherds collaborate with fire-management experts from the local forestry services, including GAUF – Gruppo Analisi e Uso del Fuoco (Group for the Analysis and Use of Fire). Together, they use prescribed fire in a controlled and systematic way, usually in spring and autumn. Fire is used to clear old grass, renew pastures, and reduce pathogen load. This case demonstrates how, under specific ecological and social conditions, fire can become a safe and effective tool for landscape management.
Across all case studies, the importance of local knowledge was evident. Farmers, shepherds, and land managers showed a deep understanding of terrain, vegetation, climate, wind, and seasonal dynamics. Their work as landscape stewards plays a crucial role in maintaining active, managed, and inhabited landscapes. This presence can make the difference between landscapes that are resilient and productive, and landscapes that become abandoned, overgrown, and more vulnerable to large, destructive wildfires.
3) Role of the Short-Term Scientific Mission
The Short-Term Scientific Mission was essential to conducting the fieldwork and building local research connections. It enabled me to establish contact with researchers at CNR-IBE – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per la BioEconomia (Italian National Research Council, Institute for BioEconomy). Through their support, I was able to connect with key local actors, including foresters from GAUF, village council members, farmers, shepherds, and researchers from AGRIS Sardegna – Agenzia regionale per la ricerca in agricoltura (Regional Agency for Agricultural Research in Sardinia).
The mission also allowed me to participate in a workshop organized by CNR researchers in Tortolì, eastern Sardinia, on future perspectives for fire management. This event provided valuable insights into current debates on wildfire governance and landscape-scale prevention in Sardinia.
Beyond the direct scope of the interviews, the mission offered important opportunities to understand the broader social-ecological context of the island. Joint field excursions with local researchers included visits to coastal protected areas, Mediterranean flora trial plots, olive groves, and extensive pastoral systems. I also attended local cultural events, including the livestock fair in Ozieri, the wild herbs festival in Tula, and the Cavalcata Sarda in Sassari. These experiences helped contextualize the role of agriculture, culture, and local identity in shaping Sardinian landscapes.
4) Scientific Exchange and Integration
The mission created strong opportunities for scientific exchange with Sardinian and international researchers. Collaboration with CNR-IBE was particularly valuable for refining the case-study selection, identifying relevant stakeholders, and understanding the institutional context of fire management in Sardinia.
Interactions with researchers from CNR-IBE, AGRIS Sardegna, the University of Sassari, and the University of Nuoro helped integrate my work into ongoing regional discussions on wildfire prevention, rural development, and landscape resilience. The field visits and informal exchanges also supported methodological reflection, especially regarding the use of qualitative interviews to elicit local mental models of fire.
This scientific exchange strengthened the relevance of the research for both academic and applied contexts. It also created the basis for future collaboration, including potential joint publications, further fieldwork, and knowledge exchange with local institutions and practitioners.
5) Organization, Framework Conditions and Outlook
The mission was well supported by local partners, especially CNR-IBE, who provided contacts, logistical advice, and access to relevant networks. Their support was crucial for reaching local stakeholders and building trust in the field.
The main framework conditions influencing the research were the need to adapt to local availability, agricultural schedules, and travel distances between case-study areas. Flexibility was therefore essential. The welcoming attitude of local communities greatly facilitated the fieldwork, as many interview partners generously shared their time, knowledge, contacts, and access to their properties.
The next steps include transcribing, translating, and coding the interviews, analyzing stakeholder perceptions and mental models of fire, and comparing the three case studies. The results will be used to identify common challenges, place-specific strategies, and potential leverage points for integrated wildfire management. I also plan to share the findings with local collaborators and explore possibilities for future cooperation.
6) Outcome
The Short-Term Scientific Mission produced several important outcomes. First, it enabled the collection of rich qualitative data on the relationship between agricultural practices and fire management in Sardinia. Second, it provided three contrasting case studies that illustrate different ways of living with fire: prevention through vegetation management in cork oak landscapes, post-fire recovery in ancient olive groves, and prescribed fire use in pastoral systems.
Third, the mission helped me access a valuable network of researchers, foresters, farmers, shepherds, and local institutions. These contacts will support the further development of the research and may enable future collaborations.
Overall, the mission demonstrated that fire resilience is deeply connected to agriculture, local knowledge, rural livelihoods, and the everyday work of maintaining living landscapes. The findings will contribute to ongoing discussions on integrated wildfire management and landscape resilience in Mediterranean rural areas.
7) References
High-resolution project-related images
Photo by Maria Chiara Camporese.
Publication rights are granted.
Photo by Maria Chiara Camporese.
Publication rights are granted.
Photo by Maria Chiara Camporese.
Publication rights are granted.
Photo by Maria Chiara Camporese.
Publication rights are granted.
Publication rights are granted.
Impressions
Highlights of the project
1. Gaining first-hand insight into different ways of living with fire
2. Building a local research and practitioner network in Sardinia
3. Understanding the central role of local knowledge and landscape stewardship
