Joining Forces with SMURF – A New Chapter for Western Macedonia’s Forests
Dear members of the Western Macedonia Model Forest,
We’re thrilled to share that our region is now part of the SMURF project, a groundbreaking
EU initiative to empower small forest owners across Europe! Funded by Horizon Europe,
SMURF aims to boost sustainable forest management, economic resilience, and
innovation—goals that align perfectly with our Model Forest’s vision
Through SMURF’s Cascade Funding, we’re unlocking opportunities to:
Share local expertise: Our participation will help shape EU-wide guidelines by
contributing insights on challenges like small-scale forestry, wildfire resilience, and
sustainable wood products—key issues for Western Macedonia’s forest-dependent
communities
Access funding for action: The project’s 1st Cascade Call (2024) provided grants up
to €5,000 to 40 organizations for surveys and networking. While this phase has
closed, our involvement ensures we’re primed for the 2nd Call (open until July
2025), which offers up to €60,000 for pilot projects like Close-to-Nature Silviculture
demonstrations or carbon credit initiatives
Build partnerships: SMURF connects us with a network of 75+ organizations across
27 EU countries, fostering knowledge exchange on everything from biodiversity-
friendly practices to payment schemes for ecosystem services (PES)
Your voice matters! As we gear up for SMURF’s next phases—including training sessions
and working groups—we’ll keep you updated on how to engage. Together, we can turn
challenges like climate adaptation and rural depopulation into opportunities for our forests
and communities.
Stay tuned for workshops and calls to action—let’s make Western Macedonia a model of
sustainable forestry innovation!