The REFORADAPT project hosts four participatory workshops on forest restoration in Spain.
Experts discussed measures to promote forest restoration and adaptation to climate change.
The REFORADAPT project is funded by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y Reto Demográfico.
Between October and November, the REFORADAPT project organized a series of participatory workshops, bringing together over 60 forest restoration experts from across Spain. Led by the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), the project aims to identify key factors for successful forest restoration and climate change adaptation.
“The workshops have been essential not only for gathering expert knowledge but also for fostering the exchange of ideas and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders. The participatory approach has allowed us to incorporate diverse perspectives and move toward essential consensus to address the challenges of forest restoration in the context of climate change,” explains Maitane Erdozain, researcher in the Global Forest Ecosystems Research group at CTFC and coordinator of the REFORADAPT project.
The first workshop, conducted online, allowed experts to share their experiences through a structured questionnaire. This exercise identified major challenges and points of disagreement, forming the basis for subsequent in-person workshops held in Tremp (Lleida), Madrid and Córdoba.
During the in-person meetings, participants engaged in dynamic debates in small groups, delving into key topics such as defining “success” in forest restoration and proposing solutions to the main challenges identified. “Group debates were essential for integrating different perspectives, fostering collective reflection and advancing toward consensus focused on practical solutions,” highlights Sergio de Miguel, professor at the University of Lleida and head of the Global Forest Ecosystems Research group at CTFC. He has been actively involved from the outset in the design and organization of the project, in addition to participating in the Tremp workshop.
Hands-On Experience: Field Visits
Each in-person workshop included field visits that allowed participants to observe restoration initiatives in various contexts. In Tremp, experts visited the Forestal Catalana nurseries and the Boumort National Hunting Reserve to learn about efforts led by the Catalan Government to diversify homogeneous forest stands. In Madrid, in collaboration with the Institute of Forest Sciences (ICIFOR-INIA-CSIC), the group toured the Riaza area (Segovia) to observe the evolution and management of reforestation projects implemented in degraded areas decades ago. Finally, in Córdoba, experts visited the Global Change Observatory of the Mediterranean Forest in Sierra Morena, where they explored restoration and monitoring efforts coordinated by the Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration Research Group at the University of Córdoba. These field visits provided a practical context to enrich discussions and address the complexity of forest restoration.
The REFORADAPT team will use the data collected during the workshops to extract recommendations and lessons learned. These conclusions, along with a database of restoration projects in Spain, will be presented next year at the project’s closing event.
REFORADAPT is supported by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y Reto Demográfico. through the competitive grant program for projects contributing to the implementation of the National Plan for Climate Change Adaptation 2021-2030.
Last modified: 11 December 2024
