2017-06-31/ms

Study visit to Sweden by group of Albanian staff related to ANFI 2018 (3rdupdated version)

ANational Forest Inventory(ANFI 2018)is currently being implemented in Albania with the advisory andcapacity building support of the Department of Forest Resource Management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), and the Swedish Forest Agency (SFA). Based on a request by the Albanian partner a study visit to Sweden will be arranged during September 3-9, 2017 for an Albanian delegation of 14 staff and decision makers concerned with ANFI 2018.

Objective: The visit aims to provide the participants with an insight and understanding of the Swedish National Forest Inventory System, its role in the policy development and the sustainable managementand of forest and environmental resources in the country and to discuss its relevance in the Albanian context.

The following aspects will be covered during the week

User and actor oriented aspects:

  • How the National Forest Inventory in Sweden has developed in relation to the management and conservation of its forest resources.
  • Objective and outputs of the National Forest Inventory in Sweden
  • The information produced and disseminated.
  • Users ofNFI data? - Stakeholder interaction?
  • Organization and roles of the various internal (SLU) and external actors
  • Capacity building and staff development and recruitment – how is it being maintained?
  • Internationalnetworks, recipients of data and exchange of knowledge. Streamlining of methods.
  • Addressing upcoming needs and expectations? - Forest Monitoring and Assessment
  • Tools for forestry relateddecision and policy making

Technical inventory aspects – a cost efficient and accurate assessment and monitoring system

  • Inventory design
  • Temporary and/or permanent plots
  • Data base and IT system
  • Remote sensing
  • Processing and analysis of data (including exercise related to ANFI Pilot Survey)
  • Field inventory, tools and organization
  • Costs and budget aspects
  • Discussions re. the status of ANFI Pilot Survey

Participants: A group of 14 persons concerned with the Albanian National Forest Inventory (ANFI 2018) including Ministry of Environment (MoE), National Environmental Agency (NEA), National Authority for Protected Areas (NAPA) and the Faculty of Forest Science (FSF).

Time: The study visit arrangements will start in Umeå, Sweden on 3rdof Septemberand be concluded in Uppsala on 9thof September (travelling time between Albania and Swedenwill beoutside that time frame)

The preliminary schedule of the visit:

Date / Activity / Location
Sunday 3/9 / Flight travel Tirana-Umeå
Arrival Umeå 12.35 (afternoon)
Pick-up at airport by SLU staff (Mats Sandewall, Anders Pålsson)
Check-in at Clarion, Hotel Uman
Short review of the program of the visit (Mats)
Sightseeing(incl. lunch opportunity) at IKEA or downtown Umeå
Evening meal available at the Hotel from 18.00 to 21.00
Monday 4/9 / 08.30 Pick-up at Hotel Uman for transport to SLU
09.00 Welcome address andpresentation of the delegation
09.15 Introduction to Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences(Göran Ståhl)andthe Department of Forest Resource Management (Johan Fransson)
10.15Coffee break
10.45The Swedish National Forest Inventory in the context of forest sector development - a overview- history, outputs, organization, users, policy (Mats Sandewall and Jonas Fridman)
11.30 Lunchat Universum (hosted by SLU)
13.00 Design and experience of permanent plots in the Swedish NFI (Jonas Fridman, Anton Grafström)
14.00 Remote Sensing in the National Forest Inventory, environmental monitoring - current use and new developments (Mats Nilsson, Mikael Egberth)
(14.45Coffee break)
15.15 Carbon assessment and reporting (Hans Pettersson)
15.45 The Heureka System for scenario analysis and planning of forest development(Tomas Lämås)
16.15 The Environmental Monitoring and Assessmentprogramat SLU (Anna-Lena Axelsson)
Evening meal available at the Hotel from 18.00 to 21.00 / SLU, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Umeå
(Room Älven, floor 2)
Tuesday 5/9 / 08.00Pick up at Hotel Uman for field excursion)
08.30-12.30 Visit NFI field team in action (Jonas F., Mats)
12.30 Lunch (at Brännland guesthouse)
13.45-14.00 Introduction by SFA on forest management in Sweden (Carina Jensen)
14.00-17.00 Visitfamily forest owner Leif Söderbäck with demonstration and discussion on forest management and forest conservation in Northern Sweden (Cornelia Roberge, Carina, Mats, Jonas).
Evening meal available at the Hotel from 18.00 to 21.00 / Full day field excursionin forest areas adjacent to Umeå (SFA/ SLU)
Wednesday 6/9 / 8.00 Check out from hotel and travel to SLU
08.30-12.00 : Parallel programs (Jonas F and analysis staff of the Swedish NFI):
1) Planning and organizing of the NFI field work
2) Data processing and analysis in the NFI – from field data to on-line reports
12.00 Work lunch (at SLU)
13.00-16.30 Parallel programs:
i) For part of the group directly involved in ANFI Pilot Survey:
Review ofPilot Survey and initial data processing exercises(Jonas, Cornelia)
ii)For part of the group concerned with policy, monitoring and environmental management:
13.00 Presentation ofcomplementary environmental assessments and projects e.g. THUF, NILS, MOTH(Hans Gardfjell, Björn Merkell, Mats)and (15.45) Developments in Forest mapping in the Nordic countries (Håkan Olsson)
16.30 -18.30 Social gathering and light meal at SLU with NFI/Department staff
18.30 Departure from SLU to Airport
20.10-21.10 Travel Umeå-Stockholm Arlanda by SK 2035
21-10-22.30 Travel by rented vehicles to Uppsala, check-in at Hotel Svava, Uppsala / Exercises and seminarsat SLU, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Umeå
(Room Årsringen, floor 1 and Room Älven, floor 2)
Thursday 7/9 / 9.00 Departure by rented vehicles from hotel Svava to SLU, Uppsala Campus
9.30-10.00 SLU and its global roles and activities (Anders Malmer)
10.00-10.30 Introduction to the Swedish Forest Agency and who is doing what in Swedish Forestry (Björn Merkell)
10.30-10.50 Coffee
10.50 -12.00 Use of NFI information for policy development and for strategic decisions within the forestry sector(Björn, Mats, Cornelia)
12.00-13.00 Forest management and public perceptions on forests including public participation decision making(SFA)
13.00 Work lunch (at SLU)
14.00-15.00 Issues on communication with stakeholders and the society in a forest related context. (Cornelia)
15.00-17.00 Cultural activity / Presentations and seminars at SLU, Main Campus, Uppsala
(Ulls Hus, Floor 3 Room Wången)
Friday 8/9 / 8.00-12.30 Multiple forestry e.g. balancing wood and environmental production, carbon sequestration, biodiversity and other issues (Miquel Angles-Marin, Cornelia, Björn, Mats)
12.30 Lunch (hosted by SFA)
13.30-15.30 Lessons learnt and what do we bring back home, group activity
15.30-16.00 Conclusions,discussion on upcoming ANFI steps (Björn, Mats, Cornelia) / Field excursion plus final discussion and summing-upin areas nearby Uppsala
Saturday 9/9 / Internal work, discussions and report writing
Timeat disposal of the group in Stockholm/Uppsala (Mats)
Sunday 10/9 / Internal work and discussions
Sightseeing/time at disposal in Stockholm/Uppsala
18.35 Departure for Albania from Stockholm Arlanda Airport

Note: Two mini-buses will be rented by SLU and available for the visiting group in Umeå (3-6/9) and Uppsala (6-9/9)

Persons involved in the visit to Sweden (Umeå and Uppsala) by Albanian NFI delegation, 3-10 September, 2017

The participants of the Albanian NFI delegation visiting Sweden

Mr. Ylli Hoxha – Director of Forest Protection and Treatment Directorate, Ministry of Environment (MoE)

Mr. Kliti Starja- Director of Forest Department at National Environmental Agency (NEA)

Mr. Behar Hate - Forest Inventory expert at NEA

Mr. Elmaz Islami - Forest expert at National Forest Inventory Sector at NEA

Ms. Elisabeta Murcaj – Expert at GIS/IT Department (GIS/RS expert) at NEA

Mr. Shkelzen Shehu - Expert at NFI Sector at NEA

Mr. Hektor Xhomara – Forest expert of Silviculture Sector (communication expert) at NEA

Mr. Erion Istrefi – Environmental Services Project Coordinator, MoE

Ms. Valbona Simixhiu – Environmental Services Project GIS Expert, MoE

Mr. Leonidha Peri, Dean of the Faculty of Forest Sciences (FSF)

Mr. Elvin Toromani, Lecturer of the Forest Inventory at the FSF (ANFI 2018 program co-manager)

Mr. Mitat Bicaku, Forest expert at Elbasan NAPA, team leader involved with the pilot survey

Mr. Eduard Gajtani, Forest expert at Shkoder NAPA, team leader involved with the ANFI pilot survey

Mr Arsen Proko, Professor at FSF, consultant of the SLU/SFA team in relation to the ANFI project

Staff of SLU and SFA participating in the study visit program

Mr Göran Ståhl, Professor and Dean at SLU Faculty of Forest Sciences

Mr Johan Fransson, Department Head, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management

Mr Anders Malmer, Professor at SLU Department of Forest Ecology and Management and SLU Global, Vice Chancellors Office

Mr Mats Sandewall, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (SLU/SFA team leader)

Mr Mikael Egberth,SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (SLU/SFA team expert)

Mr Jonas Fridman, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (SLU/SFA team expert)

Mr Björn Merkell, Swedish Forest Agency, (SLU/SFA team expert)

Ms Cornelia Roberge,Swedish Forest Agency, (SLU/SFA team expert)

Ms Carina Jensen, Swedish Forest Agency, Uppsala, (district manager)

Mr Leif Söderbäck, Umeå, (private forest owner)

Mr Miquel Angles-Marin, Swedish Forest Agency, Uppsala, (district manager)

Ms Anna-Lena Axelsson, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (researcher)

Mr Hans Gardfjell, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (researcher)

Mr Tomas Lämås, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (researcher)

Mr Mats Nilsson, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (researcher)

Mr Håkan Olsson, Professor, SLU, Department of Forest Resource Management

Mr Hans Petersson, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (researcher)

Members of NFI data analysis group and NFI field team at theDepartment of Forest Resource Management

Mr Anders Pålsson, SLU Department of Forest Resource Management (transportation and pick up)