The European project BIO4RES takes a new step in improving forest resilience with the organisation of a pilot test in Lower and Upper Cerdanya (Catalonia and Occitania, respectively) next summer. The action, coordinated by the Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya (CTFC), will evaluate different forest harvesting techniques aimed at reducing fire risk without compromising biodiversity and ecosystem services.
During the month of May, a technical meeting will be held with the main territorial actors involved in the execution of this second pilot test, which will focus on the comparison between two types of skidder (grapple vs. cable), tools used in the dragging of wood in forest land. The aim is to identify which of these systems is more suitable for implementing ‘foot-to-foot’ silviculture, a technique that favours more precise and environmentally friendly interventions, which is key in contexts of high fuel loads.
The test will be completed by a detailed study of the biomass extracted, thanks to the contracting of a LiDAR service which will make it possible to quantify the forest mass before and after the forestry work. This analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, will provide a solid scientific basis for validating the technical decisions taken.
This second pilot test in Cerdanya reinforces the applied and territorial nature of the project, showing how technical innovation and local governance can converge to build safer, more resilient and useful forest landscapes for society.
