On 20 May, the Centre for Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC) held a meeting in Lles de Cerdanya (Catalonia) with stakeholders to coordinate the implementation of the second pilot project of the Interreg Sudoe BIO4RES project. This will be developed during the second half of July in the Cerdanya region and will evaluate different forest extraction systems with the aim of strengthening the resilience of forests against the risk of fire.
The project will consist of comparing two types of skidders – one with a grapple and the other with a cable – to determine which is more efficient and respectful in the framework of ‘foot-to-foot’ forestry, a technique focused on localised interventions that promote the stability and sustainability of the forest.
Using LiDAR technology, the forest mass will be quantified before and after the silvicultural works, which will allow obtaining a detailed analysis in both qualitative and quantitative terms. In addition, the project has the collaboration of the French beneficiary, Union des Communes Forestières du Grand Sud, which will apply the Potential Biodiversity Index (PBI) to assess the impact of the actions on the forest’s capacity to host biodiversity.
The main objective of the BIO4RES project is to improve the prevention and management of the risk of forest fires in the SUDOE territory (Spain, Portugal, southwest France and Andorra), promoting the sustainable use of biomass as a renewable energy resource. Through this valorisation, the aim is to ensure the viability of prevention plans, strengthen the resilience of forest ecosystems and contribute to the economic and social development of rural areas without compromising ecosystem services.