LIFE REFOREST is a 36 months project of which main actions are:

A. Preparatory Actions

A1. Forestry study of pre-selected sites

An analysis of the different forest areas managed by the two forestry associations involved in the project (AFG and FORESTIS) will be carried out, analyzing climatic parameters, incidence of fires, soil characteristics, etc. This information will be essential to select the subsequent location of the pilots in the project.

Action Completed – Under this activity, two forest areas within the surface managed by the Forest Associations involved in the project, AFG in Galicia and FORESTIS in Portugal. The areas have been selected based on the fire incidence in the previous years and the requirements identified for implementing LIFE REFOREST solution.

A2. Monitoring and characterization of burnt areas

In this activity, a monitoring plan will be performed in order to identify the fire occurrence in the two forest study areas. After identification, the characterization of soil and streamflow water will be carried out in the forest areas affected by fire within the pre-selected areas (Portugal and Galicia).

Action Completed – Soil and streamflow characterizations have been done in the burnt areas. To increase representativeness for the region as whole, the burnt areas were selected for having different soil types, i.e. schist- vs. granite-derived soils, and contrasting forest types (eucalypt vs. pine plantation) were selected in each burnt area. Complete characterizations have been carried out.

A3. Definition of Mycotechnosols

The definition of mycotechnosols used in the project must be defined, evaluating different aspects such as the types of fungi, the waste, etc. After the selection of the formulations of interest according to the characteristics of the validation zones, these will be evaluated on a laboratory scale, optimizing the final formulation that will be used at pilot scale.

Action Completed – The selection of fungal strains, the technosols formulation and laboratory analysis to test the effiencicy of the mycotechnosols, biodegradability and seed-germination assays have been completed.

Different tests have been done in order to produce the final mycotechnosol solution of LIFE REFOREST.

A4. Procedimientos Administrativos o Legales

The aim of this action is the management of any administrative or legal procedures (permits, licenses, etc.) necessary to execute the two pilots of LIFE REFOREST.

Action Completed – Under this activity, FORESTIS and AFG carried out a review of the administrative and legal procedures required for LIFE REFOREST pilots setting up.

B. Implementation Actions

B1. Design and development of LIFE REFOREST pilot systems

Based on the previous preparatory activities (A1-A3), under this activity, the final design of the pilot systems will be carried out, defining the final formulation of the mycotechnosol and proceeding to its inoculation. At the same time, the rest of the materials required for the validation will be defined, as well as the necessary logistics for its installation.

Action Completed – Base on the results from Action A3, it has been carried out the final development of the mycotechnosol and the production of the final mycotechnosol geotubes for its installation in three pilots’ sites of LIFE REFOREST.

B2. Implementation and Validation of pilots performance

This activity includes the installation of the pilots in the two selected locations (Galicia and North of Portugal) and its subsequent validation during a period of approximately one year, where it will be studied the evolution of the pilots in comparison with the control areas, analysing periodic samples of both soil and runoff water.

Action in Progress – The validation of the LIFE REFOREST solution in three pilots’ sites is being carried out.

  • Pilot Nespereira, Pontevedra – Spain
  • Pilot Albergaria, Aveiro – Portugal
  • Pilot Penouços, Sever do Vouga, Aveiro – Portugal

B3. Replicability and Transferability

Based on the obtained results, different guidelines will be developed to maximize the transferability and replicability of the LIFE REFOREST system. Guidelines for other forest areas with high incidence of fires, as well as guidelines for other areas susceptible of erosion or areas that require soil regeneration (civil works, land movements, degraded soils, etc.) will be produced.

Action in Progress

B4. Road map and Improvement of administrative and legal frameworks

This action will analyse the administrative and legal framework related to the management of the areas affected by fires at the local, regional and national levels, providing recommendations to improve this task and facilitate the implementation of the system developed in LIFE REFOREST.

Action in Progress

C. Monitoring of the impact of project actions

C1. Monitoring of Project Performance Indicators

Along this activity, a continuous monitoring of the Project Performance Indicators will be done. These parameters, called Key Performance Indicators, include indicators at the technical, environmental and dissemination levels of the project, and they allow the quantification of their evolution.

Action in Progress

C2. Monitoring of the project’s impact on the environment – Life Cycle Assessment

In this activity, the environmental impact of the LIFE REFOREST project will be evaluated, using the methodology of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

Action in Progress

C3. Assessment and Monitoring of the socio-economic impact of the project on population and local economy

Complementary with the previous activity, the techno-economic analysis of the project will be carried out as well as an analysis of the social impact of LIFE REFOREST on the population and local economy.

Action in Progress

D. Public awareness and dissemination of results

D1. Dissemination planning and Development of the Dissemination Pack

The public awareness and dissemination are considered essential by LIFE REFOREST to guarantee the project successful. Along the project, continuous dissemination actions will be done, through different means adapted to different types of audience, such as this web page, newsletters, brochures, press releases, etc.

Action in Progress

D2. Networking with Other Projects, Project’s Seminars & Workshops and Other Activities for Project’s Output Diffusion

The aim of this action is to promote the project networking actions with other projects and relevant stakeholders. Moreover, the organization of seminars and workshops and the actively participation in events of interest will add value to the project allowing share knowledge and experiences, and establishing mechanisms for its further transference and replication.

Action in Progress. The information of the different project seminars available in the Section Publications of this website

E. Project Management

E1. Project Management

This activity integrates all project management tasks that will allow LIFE REFOREST to be developed according to the planning established in the proposal, achieving the objectives of the project.

CETIM Technological Centre has the responsibility of full project management. The action ensures the correct project technical and economic progress, making possible the fulfilment of the contractual obligations of the Grant Agreement with the European Union and according to the project’s objectives and work plan.

Action in Progress