CREAF

DEBOSCAT is a tool used to obtain information about the state of the Catalan forests.  The initiative is promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Food and the Environment, coordinated by CREAF and it has the collaboration of the Forest Rangers in Catalonia (Agents Rurals). The aim is to obtain the maximum amount of information possible on the actual state of Catalan forests and thus improve their management. 

Summary of the Results DeBosCat 2012

OTHER CONCLUSIONS

Oak and Beech forests are the most vulnerable

According to the information extracted from DeBosCat report, 7% of oak and 6% of beech forests have suffered episodes of weakness this summer. In both cases, more than 60% of the area was classified as "in decline" and showed signs of degradation from high to very high: yellowing of leaves, defoliation and mortality. Although this phenomenon is quite common, especially in oaks, it is not so common that the affected area is so large. However, it is expected that a good part of these forests will regrow leaves this spring thanks to the fact that this autumn and winter have been very moist.

Other species, such as holm oaks, have also seen many episodes of degradation. 3.6% of the Catalan holm oak showed episodes of degradation by drought. In 65% of the cases, the degree of damage was rated between high and very high.

Most pine species appear to be more resistant to factors that cause degradation; on the other hand, once they are affected, they recover with more difficulty. In any case, the pines were only affected in a percentage of its surface and less than 1%.

Osona and Berguedà are the regions with the greatest area of affected forest this year

DeBosCat has registered the geographical location of the cases of forest degradation, which allows them to identify the regions that are most affected. This year, the forests of Osona and Berguedà region have been harmed the most by the extreme drought. For example, 31% of the hectacres of forest affected in Catalonia are concentrated in the region of Osona (7,500 hectares). Berguedà, on the other hand, featured 3,000 hecatres, mostly oaks and holm oaks, which represents 13% of the hectares affected in Catalonia.