PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Major fires are a permanent reality in southern Europe. The problem in Iberia stems from depopulation of rural areas, homogenisation of the landscape and the emergence of highly fire-prone forests. This has led to bigger and more intense fires and enabled the growth of invasive species. Portugal and Spain saw their worst-ever year for forest fires in 2017, with approximately 500 000 ha and 178 000 ha affected, respectively. The fires marked both an environmental and social tragedy, with a devastating loss of lives and forest.
OBJECTIVES
LIFE LANDSCAPE FIREs main objective was to develop an effective procedure for fire prevention in Viseu Dao Lafoes subregion (Portugal’s Central region) and in Sierra de Gata, Las Hurdes and Sierra de San Pedro (Extremadura, Spain). It carried out a series of pilot actions, based on a methodology successfully implemented elsewhere (in Andalusia and Catalonia). This methodology combined prescribed fires and grazing techniques to reduce forest fuel, converting fire-prone forests into more resilient areas.
The project contributed to a range of EU policy and legislation, including: the forest strategy; roadmap to a resource efficient Europe; circular economy action plan; thematic strategy for soil protection; biodiversity strategy; and the Habitats and Birds directives.
RESULTS
LIFE LANDSCAPE FIRE demonstrated how a combination of traditional techniques and modern fire prevention strategies can be used to reduce the risk of large-scale forest fires and improve forest resilience, as well as biodiversity and sustainable landscape management.
The pilot actions (training and demonstration) were carried out in areas affected by landscape homogenisation, which has created corridors of highly flammable vegetation, facilitating the spread of intense and uncontrollable fires. Over 1,110 hectares were impacted directly by these actions. Around 300 operators and technicians were trained. The pilot actions included:
- Training on prescribed burnings, focused on fire prevention techniques, including prescribed burns and risk analysis tools.
- Training on grazing and pasture management to restore pastures and regenerate soils, contributing to carbon sequestration, adaptation and resilience to climate change, food sovereignty and the creation of economically viable communities.
- Demonstration actions on prescribed burnings and preventing grazing, with the aim to create productive firebreaks, focused on extensive grazing techniques in the Strategic Management Areas (SMAs) established in the two countries. These areas were carefully chosen to test the effectiveness of grazing in reducing fire risk by controlling vegetation growth.
- Demonstration actions on control of invasive species together with prescribed burning actions to restore native habitats and reduce the spread of invasive species (mainly Acacia dealbata), in approx. 40 ha. 250 trees were planted (3.8 ha) and 311 were pruned (6.8 ha) as part of cleaning interventions.
- Demonstration actions on grazing and livestock use strategy to manage forest biomass and maintain firebreaks. Farmers and shepherds in the region were engaged in grazing management plans, which included the use of mobile sheepfolds and virtual fencing to control livestock movements (>90 cows, 1,200 goats and 500 sheep). These innovative techniques allowed for more flexible and efficient grazing, ensuring that areas at high risk of fire were consistently managed.
Main results achieved by the project:
- Prescribed burns and grazing effectively reduced the accumulation of biomass in fire-prone areas, allowing to keep the forest fuel loads below critical levels, thus, leading to a decrease in fire spread and intensity.
- The creation of landscape mosaics through the combination of grazing and firebreaks enhanced the resilience of ecosystems, allowing native species to thrive, reducing the risk of large-scale forest fires.
- By controlling invasive species and managing vegetation, the project helped to restore natural habitats and promote biodiversity.
- The methodology applied proved to be highly effective compared to other fire mitigation measures. The cost of fuel management through manual labour was estimated at around €1,000 per hectare, whereas the project’s prescribed burns reduced this to approximately €180 per hectare. Grazing was even more economical, with costs between €60 and €80 per hectare.
- The active involvement of local farmers, shepherds, volunteers and other stakeholders encouraged them to adopt fire prevention strategies that support economic activities, such as extensive grazing, which also contributes to revitalizing the rural areas and promoting sustainable land management practices.
The benefits are so evident that both in Portugal and Spain these actions will continue to be implemented after the project.
The project’s innovative approach to sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation and local community engagement offers a replicable model for other regions facing similar challenges.
