17.3.15
SDG 15 – Life on Land
UTH contributes to SDG15 through forestry, ecology, agronomy and veterinary sciences. The Department of Forestry, Wood Sciences and Design and related programmes focus on multifunctional forest management, bio-economy and ecosystem services, including a specialised MSc in Multifunctional Management of Natural Ecosystems and Bio-economy that integrates biodiversity conservation with sustainable land use.
Veterinary and life-science laboratories support wildlife conservation and human–wildlife coexistence. Through the LIFE project “Improving human–bear coexistence in four national parks of South Europe” and associated educational actions, the Microbiology & Parasitology Laboratory of the Veterinary Department engages students and local communities in understanding large carnivore ecology, zoonotic risks and the design of coexistence corridors and prevention measures.
Events on the historical contribution of Greek women farmers to Thessaly’s development, alongside HORTLAB’s work on sustainable orchards and agro-ecosystems, highlight the socio-ecological dimensions of rural landscapes.(agrtec.uth.gr) In EU projects like NATALIE, UTH also advances nature-based solutions in landscapes that simultaneously enhance climate resilience, preserve biodiversity and support rural livelihoods.(uwmh.eu)