Student research project in Galicia

About the project

Background

The planting of eucalyptus and pine monocultures is a widespread form of forest management in Portugal and Spain. However, in addition to efficient timber production, these plantations contribute massively to the instabilization of the forest. The monocultures are particularly susceptible to fires. In Spain and Portugal, the use of eucalyptus trees originating from Australia, particularly for pulp production, has become widespread since the 20th century. This is often cultivated in plantations, which has led to high productivity at relatively low cost, but has also destabilized the ecosystem. Forest fires in particular have been strongly promoted by this.

Long-term goal

Development of recommendations for sustainable management of local and near-natural forest ecosystems.

Implementation

Initially, students will carry out a baseline study for a diagnostic ecosystem analysis. Specifically, they will examine the natural vegetation of the region's heavily degraded forests and plantations, some of which have been destroyed by fire, and document the current management methods. The floristic inventories and ecosystem surveys on various study areas are intended to provide initial indications of possible future management measures for dealing with the forest ecosystem and its restoration. It is of particular interest to investigate which species spontaneously establish themselves in the formerly used eucalyptus and pine monocultures and what potential the natural processes reveal. In the long term, an alternative use of the forest is envisaged, taking into account the current climate scenarios and other threat factors, which contributes to the establishment and maintenance of an adaptable and thus resilient forest ecosystem. It is planned that the student research led by the Center for Econics and Ecosystem Management will provide longer-term, conceptual support for private forest owners and their forest areas. In an initial pilot phase, the first students will begin exploratory work in Galicia. This project aims to find out which more natural and stable forest ecosystems could follow the eucalyptus and which management measures need to be taken to keep the forests resilient and usable in the long term. Students on the International Forest Ecosystem Management (B.Sc.) Bachelor's degree program at Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development are now working in Galicia for the first time and have been collecting data on the natural development of vegetation on unused eucalyptus areas since October 2021. They are looking at the ecological conditions and causes of fires as well as the socio-economic demands and are in contact with local actors and forest owners who are involved in the use of the forest.

Institutional commitment

The project takes place under the technical direction of the Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development and is to be continued over several years with annual consecutive studies by students (always in the period from September to February). It will be implemented together with local cooperation partners ("Proyecto de red de propietarios forestales privados") in the area of A Cañiza (province of Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain) and Xunqueira de Ambía (province of Ourense, Galicia, Spain) and financially supported by the Stiftung Zukunft jetzt! and the Eramus+ program.

On the occasion of an exchange between the Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management at HNEE and the Stiftung Zukunft jetzt! on the ongoing support for the development of the "Socio-ecological Forest Management" course, the question arose as to whether students could already be supported in putting some of the ideas that are being pursued with the course into practice. Through a private contact between the foundation (José Hazañas) and private forest owners in Galicia who are interested in a different and sustainable management of their forests or transformation of their eucalyptus plantations, an ideal experimental field for student research and project work seemed to have been found.

We want to support the transformation of remote, vulnerable plantations and degraded forests into near-natural forest ecosystems. In this way, we not only enable a long-term income for the forest owners, but also the preservation and restoration of important ecosystem services (biodiversity, clean water, erosion control, forest fire prevention, etc.) for the local population and the entire region.

A typical eucalyptus plantation for the region. As the young trees hardly allow any other plants to grow in the undergrowth, such a plantation consists of almost a single (tree) species with the aim of producing wood as quickly as possible. In addition to the plants, the number of animal species in such eucalyptus monocultures is also very low. The essential oils contained in the trees not only suppress the undergrowth, but also make the plantations easy to ignite.

In the future, the project believes that there should be more near-natural, native oak forests, which not only have a higher biodiversity, but also make a greater contribution to cooling the landscape and reducing the risk of forest fires, provided that appropriate and near-natural management takes place.