Forestry

Last June, internal communications at CREAF turned over a new leaf. On the first day of the month, 50 eager researchers and support staff opened CREAF vermuts, a series of themed internal symposiums to share the centre’s latest research on a specific topic.

On the occasion of the International Day of Forests we present an in-depth report on mature forests. What are they and why can they function as vaccines against climate and global change? Do they require management? Which one?

With spring almost upon us, CREAF’s experts are reporting that this year could be a chance for Catalonia’s forests to recover from accumulated past droughts and the devastating effects of the pine processionary. There will be no let-up for the territory’s undergrowth, however, with the box tree moth’s continuing expansion leaving just 20% of box plants with new growth.

CREAF is a firm believer in scientific cooperation and, accordingly, the international dimension of its activity is constantly growing. This year has taken Olga Roig and Josep Maria Espelta to the UK and Lebanon to attend meetings on the forestry sector and environmental policies.

According to a study published recently in the journal PNAS, climate change has caused forests to alter the way they grow, in that they only take advantage of the fertilizing effect of carbon dioxide (CO₂) to grow faster if they have plenty of water.

Rossella Guerrieri has a PhD in Forestry and Environmental Sciences and has been a post-doc at CREAF since 2016. Her projects are related to the natural cycles of forests and she is a strong advocate of the social impacts of science.

Enrique Doblas is part of a European interest group on climate change adaptation in the forestry sector. CREAF’s knowledge and innovations will be taken into account when planning solutions to fight climate change.

Forestry Hub is a digital tool for getting in touch with actors in the forestry and environment sectors, capable of effectively uniting supply and demand of services for those involved.

A CREAF-led study shows that colonization by holm oak and other broadleaf species in the Iberian Peninsula is occurring much faster than previously thought, the main causes being reductions in forest management and climate change.