Case Study – Galicia/Portugal

Galicia/Portugal

The main objective of this case study is the resilience of the Forest Value Chain of Pine Wood (mainly Pinus pinaster) in Galicia (NW Spain) and Northern Portugal.

Quick overview

Area: Approximately 600.000 ha

Value chain: Large scale industry dominates

Biogeografical area: Atlantic/ Mediterranean

In short

Case Study - Galicia/Portugal

Disturbances

Pests

Wildfires

Ecosystem Services

Wood & biomass production

Carbon sequestration & storage

Case study Q&A

How does the value chain look like: supply, demand, timber market?
Thousands of Family Forests and hundreds of community forests through hundreds of small harvesting enterprises supply a complex industrial sector of small sawmills, panel manufacturing plants, pulp and paper companies and bioenergy units. Within the region also secondary products as furniture, boxes and packaging, paper and cardboard, building materials…  are manufactured from sawn wood, panels and pulp. 
What are the silvicultural measures applied – if any?
As most of the area of the case study is private, silviculture is made by forest owners. To date a few silvicultural measures have been applied in order to increase resilience apart from the traditional silvicultural models. 
What is the amount of the wood harvested?

3,8 Mm3 of softwood harvested in Galicia (2021) and an estimation of 0,75 Mm3 more in Northern Portugal for a total softwood (mainly Pinus pinaster) harvest of more than 4,5 Mm3.

Case study partners

Logotipo_Universidade_de_Vigo.png
University Of Vigo