More than 60 experts and 380 initiatives were analyzed to transition into a more resilient forestry future
The final day of the REFORADAPT project (Compilation of success stories in forest restoration and adaptation in Spain) was held in Solsona, Lleida, on May 22nd, led by the Global Research in Forest Ecosystems group of the Center for Forest Science and Technology of Catalonia (CTFC) and funded by the Fundación Biodiversidad del Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico (MITECO).
The event, which brought together 50 people from various fields related to forest restoration, served as a platform to share the main results and recommendations of the project, as well as to foster exchange and coordination between key actors in the sector.
According to Maitane Erdozain, project coordinator, “the combination of scientific review and expert participation has allowed us to gather and analyze a large amount of key information to ensure the success of forest restoration and the adaptation of these ecosystems to climate change. Reflecting on the achievements and challenges is especially relevant now, as European Union Member States must develop national restoration plans under the new Nature Restoration Law.”
REFORADAPT has identified and systematized information on 382 restoration projects and initiatives carried out in Spain between 1990 and 2023. Based on this work, a database has been developed with information on objectives, type of restoration, geographic location, funding sources and causes of degradation, among other aspects. All this has been made available to the public through an interactive online viewer, which allows these experiences to be explored visually and dynamically.
In addition, the project has promoted collective reflection through participatory workshops in which more than 60 national experts have participated. As Victoria Madrid, CTFC researcher and member of the organizing team explains, “key issues have been addressed such as the need for a shared definition of forest restoration and adaptation, the development of a list of indicators adapted to the Mediterranean context to evaluate the success of interventions, and the identification of the main challenges (and solutions) that hinder their implementation”. This participatory process has resulted in a solid set of recommendations endorsed by the expert community.
The results and proposals of the project have been disseminated through the final day, an informative brouchure and a full report of results, in addition to several scientific publications currently under evaluation. During the inauguration of the event, Ignacio Torres, deputy director of Biodiversity and Climate Change of Fundación Biodiversidad, highlighted that “this is a successful project in which we mixed two key points: forest ecosystem restoration with adaptation to climate change. These types of synergies are what make projects generate good examples of transformation in the territory.”
REFORADAPT project is funded by the Biodiversity Foundation of Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, 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).
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Last modified: 26 May 2025
