LIFE OPERATION CO2 (LIFE11 ENV/ES/535)

Integrated agroforestry practices and nature conservation against climate change

  1. SITE A: 4500 ha. of managed forest in Alinyà, Catalonia.

In Area A, the main pillar of this project was to promote conservation through active forest management and carbon sequestration in natural forests obtaining certification of carbon credits and consequently release to the voluntary market carbon offsets through VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) and CCBS (Climate Community and Biodiversity Standards).

  • Implement a functioning forest and carbon management scheme
  • Avoid forest vigor decreasing and high risks of forest fires, diseases and plagues due to its location, structure, and future climate changes
  • Avoid soil erosion and loss
  • Profitable and sustainable forestry management
  1. SITES B AND C: 25 ha. each of degraded lands in rainfed croplands destined to  agroforestry development, one in Castilla y León and one in Aragón (Area B and Area C, respectively).

In sited B and C, the main pillar involves the transformation of degraded natural areas in integrated agroforestry ecosystems. Applying special mycorrhizas, green cover, crop rotation and other techniques is key to promoting sustainability.

  • Restore land in degradaded areas of Spain that lost fertility due to intensive monoculture and inefficient use of fertilizers.
  • Promote agroforestry practices by combining agricultural crop growth with productive trees (timber, almond, pistachio, pine nut, etc.)
  • Improve the quality of soil by changing pH levels and innoculating with microorganisms such as mycorrhizae, beneficial bacteria and fulvic/humic acids.
  • Mitigate climate change by obtaining a positive balance in CO₂ fixation

Profitable and sustainable agroforestry farming

Description of the project:

Its main objective is to demonstrate the viability of forestry and agroforestry projects on carbon sequestration in Europe. Although not yet developed in Europe, these projects could contribute significantly to the fight against climate change. During the project we aimed at

  1. The conservation and management of forests and carbon
  2. Integrated agroforestry practices

both with new methods that are technically and economically viable.

The project was carried out in three different regions of Spain (sites A, B and C) and with a multinational team of 9 partners from three Member States (Spain, Netherlands, United Kingdom) of the EU. The common denominator of both pillars is to obtain carbon credits, and to develop feasible economic and environmental forestry and agroforestry systems pointed to keep population in rural areas.

This project demonstrates the potential economic viability of the conservation and management of forest and agroforestry systems in Europe and to extend the green economy as an alternative for future development.

Documents

7º Congreso Forestal español:

Contact

Luis Fernando Sánchez Sastre, University of Valladolid, lux@iaf.uva.es / luxpher@gmail.com

Zacarías Clérigo Pérez, University of Valladolid, zacle@iaf.uva.es

Salvador Hernández Navarro, Universidad de Valladolid, inpaisal@iaf.uva.es