Forests are homes, climate regulators and sources of food, water and cultural value. But can they also spearhead an economic transformation that protects livelihoods and the environment at the same time? 

In episode 7 of TalkLandscape, find out how communities are managing forests sustainably – turning them into a source of sustainable livelihoods and ecosystem resilience. 

Discover the forest bioeconomy in the Mediterranean and beyond, from community-based forest management and forest wood supply chains to ecosystem services beyond timber and innovative financial mechanisms that reward forest stewards. 

Join us live on Tuesday, 28 October at 12:00 UTC to discover how we can create thriving forest-based economies through sustainable forest management, community engagement and forest finance. 

How could forests help build a green economy? What would it take for forests to become the foundation of thriving economies instead of just resources to extract? Share your thoughts on social media using #TalkLandscape. 

Meet our guests: 

Beria (Lei) Leimona is the theme leader for climate change, energy and low-carbon development at CIFOR-ICRAF. She previously led global research-for-development initiatives at CIFOR-ICRAF, focusing on climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainability standards and certification and jurisdictional approaches. Her expertise extends to smallholder financing, ecosystem services and carbon markets, working closely with governments, private sector actors, and NGOs, and she actively leads resource mobilization efforts with international donors and private sectors. In addition, she has served as lead author for two Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) reports, contributing to global assessments on biodiversity and the valuation of nature. 

Antonio (Toni) Ventre is the general secretary of the Mediterranean Model Forest Network Secretariat, serving on behalf of the Tuscany region. As a forest engineer, he has extensive experience in sustainable forest management for both public and private forests, focusing on projects that enhance forest wood supply chains, hydrogeological protection, landscape and forest restoration and wildfire prevention and control. 

He has also led initiatives on forest certification, the valorization of ecosystem services, and local wildfire prevention strategies. Since April 2023, he has coordinated the Mediterranean Model Forest Network (MMFN) Secretariat and overseen regional, national and EU forestry training projects. 

Abdelkrim Marzouk is the president of the Ifrane Model Forest, located in Morocco. He currently also serves as the dean of executive and continuing education at Al Akhawayn University. His academic expertise lies in geographic information systems (GIS), forestry, remote sensing and quantitative environmental modeling for land use and land cover change. 

For over 15 years, Marzouk has also specialized in local, provincial and regional development, strategic planning and capacity building for public sector executives and NGOs.