The European BIO4RES project, led by the public company Nasuvinsa through its agency Lursarea, held a technical and informative conference at Las Améscoas Public School (Zudaire) dedicated to forest biomass, sustainable forest management and fire prevention, in collaboration with the Navarre Biomass Office.
The meeting, held under the title ‘Biomass 360º in Navarra: from forest management and fire prevention to industrial consumption’ and part of Navarra Climate Week, brought together institutional representatives, experts from the forestry and industrial sectors, project partners and students from the training provided within the framework of pilot project 4, with the aim of highlighting the potential of the circular bioeconomy to strengthen the resilience of the territory.
Biomass and prevention: a comprehensive approach to forest management
The institutional opening by Fermín Olabe Velasco, director of the Forestry and Hunting Management Service of the Government of Navarra, gave way to the presentation of the Interreg Sudoe BIO4RES project by Laura Lorenzo Lacalle, director of the Lursarea Department of Nasuvinsa. Lorenzo emphasised that ‘the use of biomass as a tool to prevent fires and promote responsible forest management makes it possible to consolidate the viability of prevention plans, strengthen the resilience of forests and generate economic and social value in rural areas’.
BIO4RES, led by Nasuvinsa as the main beneficiary, involves the participation of the Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya (CTFC), the Union des Communes Forestières du Grand Sud (France), Estera Innovation (France) and the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Tâmega e Sousa (Portugal). The project aims to improve fire prevention in the SUDOE area by promoting forest biomass as a sustainable energy source, encouraging transnational cooperation and the transfer of good practices.
European experiences: innovation, biodiversity and local management
During the first part of the day, various pilot experiences developed within the framework of the BIO4RES project were presented.
From France, Irène Sénaffe, delegate of Massif des Pyrénées (UGS), presented best practices for reconciling fire prevention with biodiversity conservation, highlighting the importance of reducing fuel load and planning the management of forest ecosystems in a comprehensive manner.
Gerard Alcoverro Valls, a technician from the CTFC, presented the results of the pilot project on forestry machinery and new technologies applied to the sector, highlighting the potential of equipment such as the Equus skidder, which improves the efficiency and safety of forestry work.
The experience of the Portuguese municipality of Baião was also shared. It is developing a holistic biomass management model with the creation of a local collection and recovery centre, together with a micro power plant that uses forest and municipal waste as a renewable resource.
Green training and employment to strengthen rural areas in Navarre
The Navarre section of the conference focused on professional training and education in the forestry sector, promoted by Nasuvinsa through Lursarea, as well as on the analysis of biomass consumption and demand in Navarre on an industrial scale, carried out by the Navarre Biomass Office.
David Candel Pérez, sustainable territorial development technician, and Miguel Muñoz Sastre, technical director of Arpana Forestry Training, presented the sustainability and safety training programme aimed at forestry crews in rural areas.
The aim, they explained, was to provide the sector with qualified professionals, dignify their work and promote a culture of continuous improvement and prevention, thus ensuring generational continuity and the resilience of the Navarre forestry sector through the creation of quality green jobs.
From land to industry: the path of biomass
In the second part of the day, the Navarre Biomass Office emphasised the need to boost the supply of biomass on an industrial scale. The results of a study analysing the potential demand for biomass in Navarre’s industry, replacing its current fossil fuel energy sources, based on its consumption and production processes, were also presented. This section was rounded off with a round table discussion involving various relevant entities in the wood value chain, including the CTFC.
Esperanza Aristu Pérez de Larraya, director of the Energy Transition Service of the Government of Navarra, and Fermín Olabe Velasco held a dialogue on the importance of guaranteeing the long-term supply of biomass, from extraction to final consumption.
Both stressed the need to unify the process between forest owners and large industrial consumers, highlighting that 70% of Navarre’s forest mass is publicly owned, making inter-institutional coordination a key factor in ensuring the stability of the biomass market.
Closing: connection with the territory and practical examples
The Minister for Industry and Ecological and Digital Business Transition, Mikel Irujo Amezaga, closed the conference by stating that “the efforts of the administration and society as a whole are continuing over time, with a clear trend towards the decarbonisation of industry and the region itself. However, there is still a long way to go to become less dependent on fossil fuels and make biomass a renewable source of sustainable consumption for the entire industrial value chain.”
The conference also included various complementary activities:
– a meeting between students and companies from the Navarran forestry sector, focused on bringing together employment opportunities and sustainable entrepreneurship,
– a guided tour of the school’s biomass boiler, a practical example of local energy use that reflects the principles of circularity and sustainability promoted by the BIO4RES project,
– a final visit to Monte Limitaciones de las Améscoas, where traditional and current uses and applications were explained, including the sustainable use of forest resources, and the LIFE Global project was presented.
With this event, BIO4RES reinforced its commitment to sustainable forest management, fire prevention and socio-economic revitalisation of rural areas, consolidating forest biomass as a strategic resource for a more resilient and low-carbon future in the SUDOE area.