The kick-off meeting of the Interreg SUDOE COOPTREE project, which aims to design a transnational strategy to conserve forest genetic resources, was held from March 20 to 22. With a duration of 36 months and a total budget of 3 147 943 €, this collaborative initiative brings together 17 partners and 10 associates from Portugal, Spain, Andorra, and France led by FORESPIR.
The main objective of the project is to improve the knowledge, conservation, and management of the most important forest species of interest in southwestern Europe. It also seeks to understand the capacity of these species to resist water stress and drought, as well as to implement pilot actions to preserve and improve forest resilience in the territories participating in the project.
COOPTREE will work to strengthen knowledge on the location, richness, diversity, and resilience of regional threatened forest species. In addition, it intends to develop a network of forests and plantations where pilot actions will be carried out to capitalize on the knowledge generated in past experiences and to create experimental and demonstrative actions of forest management and restoration.
The research groups of Sustainable Forest Management and Forest Genetics of the Center of Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC) participate in the project by providing data from past experiences related to the genetic characterization of forest species, knowledge on hybridization and resistance to climate change, silviculture of mixed stands and forest restoration. The CTFC will also execute a pilot action to implement new agroforestry systems.
The COOPTREE project represents a further step towards protecting and valorizing forest resources in southwestern Europe. It is expected that the results obtained will contribute substantially to the conservation and sustainable management of forests in this key geographical area.
Last modified: 26 March 2024
