OPTIMA:

Optimisation   for Sustainable Water Resources Management

Project Partners: IRM Co.Ltd., Malta

	Integrated Resource Management (IRM) Co.Ltd. 21-22-23 Victory Street   CSPO6   Senglea Tel: ++356 21891340   Fax: ++356 21676152			MALTA
	Contacts:	Dirk De Ketelaere	irmco@keyworld.net
		Anna Spiteri	irmco@keyworld.net

Integrated Resource Management (IRM) Co.Ltd. will lead and coordinate the socio-economic work package, and contribute to system implementation and issues of local participation. Established in 1994, IRMCo's mission is to adopt an integrated approach in every environmental project it undertakes. The company provides consultancy services to both public and private institutions in various fields, including mathematical modelling, G.I.S. and remote sensing applications. Recently, IRMCo completed a three year EU funded research project on the management of coastal environmental resources in the Mediterranean. In addition to study areas in Lebanon and Turkey, the study focused on the island of Gozo, using the "Schema d'Amenagement et de Gestion des Eaux" (SAGE) philosophy, as a novel approach for a better planning and management of environmental resources. The study involved the compilation of data on the state and use of all environmental resources including water, but also socio-economic data, but also consideration of the perception of the local actors towards their environment.

Team members:

Dirk De Ketelaere, Senior Consultant, Specialty & Experience: Post-graduate lecturer in hydrology at Free University Brussels, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and University of Malta. Team-leader of several environmental research projects including the EU-sponsored Hydromed (Avicenne) and Resmanmed (INCO DC) projects. Twice Co-ordinator of an EU-funded Med-Campus training programme on Integrated Water Resources Management, in which he lectured on the mathematical aspects of groundwater modeling. Between 1997-2002, he has been the Leader of the Working Group on 'Risk Mapping and GIS Techniques' in COST Action 620 on 'Vulnerability and risk mapping for the protection of carbonate (karst) aquifers'.

Anna Spiteri, Managing Director, has several years experience as the national coordinator for research and development, and Malta representative to the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC). Responsible for the setting up of a National Remote Sensing Centre. Facilitator for various regional and international scientific Workshops and Conferences. Mediterranean representative for the European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories (EARSeL) and Editor of the "Integrated Applications for Risk Assessment and Disaster Prevention in the Mediterranean Region", proceedings of the EARSeL Symposium in Malta, 1996. Scientific Coordinator of the COLASU (INCO-Med) project on the "Sustainability of Mediterranean coastal lagoon ecosystems under semi-arid climate" (2002-2005).