The REFORADAPT project (Compilation of success stories in forest restoration and adaptation in Spain), led by a CTFC research team, is funded by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
Ecological restoration in general and forest restoration, in particular, is experiencing a historic momentum worldwide as a solution to address the current alarming ecological deterioration resulting from excessive human pressure on natural resources. Forest ecosystems provide multiple services on which society depends (e.g., timber, and non-timber forest products, erosion protection, carbon sequestration, recreational uses, and spiritual values). This is why global, national, and regional policies are focusing on the conservation and restoration of healthy forests as one of the key measures to address many of the challenges facing humanity such as the climate crisis, the accelerating loss of biodiversity, desertification, or the water crisis.
Spain has extensive experience in forest restoration, but information is scattered, making it difficult to learn from past experiences.
The project, which started in July 2023, is led by Maitane Erdozain, a researcher at the Global forest ecosystem research group at the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC). The project seeks to compile and synthesize knowledge on the adaptation and restoration of forest ecosystems from a large number of past and ongoing projects and initiatives carried out throughout Spain to analyze the ecological, social, economic, and political factors that promote success in measures to combat desertification and adaption to climate change.
To this end, online project search methods are being combined with participatory methods with experts in forest restoration, to foster consensus and coordination. Specifically, this year four workshops are being organized: the first one will be online, while the other three will be face-to-face and will be held in autumn in Catalonia, Madrid, and Andalusia with the aim of exchanging experiences among experts, thus contributing to the generation of knowledge. In 2025, after analyzing and synthesizing all the information gathered, the team will summarize the lessons learned and recommendations in a publication that will help to minimize errors in future initiatives and thus optimize forest adaptation to climate change in Spain.
REFORADAPT project is funded by the Biodiversity Foundation of Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge through the , through the Grants call in competition regime for the execution of projects that contribute to implementing the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (2021-2030).
With support from:
Last modified: 4 April 2024
