Restoring an agroforestry mosaic landscape rich in biodiversity is one of the key actions of BCN Smart Rural, the strategy of the Barcelona Provincial Council to transform the agri-food system of the region. Co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), this initiative prioritizes the reintroduction of herds into the forest with the dual objective of reducing the risk of large forest fires and adding value to the meat from pasture-fed animals raised in freedom.

The restoration of old abandoned pastures for decades has guided the creation of 'Grazing Forests,' the new short film of the 'BCN Smart Rural Stories'. The series features individuals who show us the way toward a safer, healthier, and more sustainable agri-food system in the Barcelona province, and on this occasion, it includes the participation of Asier Larrañaga, Deputy Inspector of the Forest Action Group (GRAF) of the Catalonia Firefighters; Mercè Oms, a livestock farmer from La Casanova, a small company with pasture-raised cows; and Melcior Montaner, forest owner of the Viladevall estate in Sora.

On the sustainable forest management of the BCN Smart Rural strategy

The province of Barcelona has 514,053 hectares of forests, representing 66.8% of the total territory. This area increases every year, mainly due to the abandonment of cultivated fields, which are taken over by uncontrolled shrubs and tree masses. With the significant amount of forests in the region and the reality of global warming, the risk of major forest fires is enormous. This is a major concern for the Barcelona Provincial Council, which, within the framework of the BCN Smart Rural strategy, has taken a further step in protecting the region's forests by restoring old pastures in Priority Action Zones (ZAP)

Specifically, the work has been carried out on fourteen estates in Berguedà, Moianès, and Osona. It has involved converting woodland into pasture ground, thinning, pasture recovery, pruning selected trees, and clearing specific bushes and shrubs. These tasks have been completed according to the criteria for sustainable forest management, landscape preservation, and biodiversity enhancement.

For more information on forest planning carried out as part of the BCN Smart Rural strategy, please contact Pere Navarro, land engineer of the Territorial Agrarian Directorate of the Barcelona Provincial Council.

— BCN Smart Rural Editorial —