In the framework of the second face-to-face meeting of the BIO4RES project consortium, a technical field visit organised by the Union des Communes Forestières du Grand Sud (UGS) in collaboration with the Centre Régional de la Propriété Forestière d’Occitanie (CNPF) allowed project partners and local stakeholders to learn first-hand about exemplary initiatives in sustainable forest management and fire prevention in the Eastern Pyrenees.
During the tour, various adaptive forestry practices and management strategies that combine biomass production with ecosystem conservation were presented, offering replicable solutions at cross-border level. The visit focused on the practical application of the key concepts of the BIO4RES project: forest bioeconomy, biomass valorisation and forest fire resilience.
Participants explored different plots managed by private forest owners and public bodies, where concrete actions were demonstrated, such as:
- Selective reduction of accumulated biomass to minimise fire risk.
- Maintenance of dead wood in strategic areas of ecological value.
- Interventions in cork oak and mixed stands in the process of decomposition, aimed at conserving biodiversity and improving forest structure.
- Pilot experiences of wood energy extraction compatible with conservation objectives.
CNPF technical staff guided the discussions in situ, explaining the intervention criteria used, the ecological and socio-economic conditions, and the results observed to date. This day was particularly useful for sharing know-how and local experiences between the French, Spanish and Portuguese partners, and allowed the alignment of analysis and execution methodologies for the implementation of the four pilot projects of the consortium.
The visit reaffirmed the BIO4RES project’s commitment to innovative, balanced and knowledge-based forest management, which prioritises the prevention of natural risks and the sustainable valorisation of forest resources.
