CIRCE leads an Aragonese project to improve forestry work, through new machinery to obtain biomass and the creation of grazing areas

Last June, the Government of Aragon, through the Department of Rural Development and Sustainability, approved the aid for the execution of cooperation actions of agricultural sector agents, within the framework of the Rural Development Program for Aragon 2014-2020.

One of the approved projects, coordinated by CIRCE, will aim to improve the efficiency of forest maintenance and fire prevention work. To do this, he will try to deal with a triple problem that exists in Aragon. First, the high costs of implementing silvicultural treatments. Second, the low use of local grazing to maintain the treated areas and the shortage of extensive grazing in certain areas of the region. Finally, the scarcity of demand and use of forest biomass, which avoids greater use of forestry waste.

CIRCE, together with the rest of the project partners, will demonstrate the opportunities offered to manage the biomass of the entire tree to be used as fuel in other applications. This will be carried out through a change in the management of forestry work and the introduction of greater mechanization in the process, all of which will increase the profitability of these types of activities.

With this, the project will improve forestry, contributing to its cleanliness and fire prevention. But it will also increase and improve the conditions and number of extensive livestock farms, generating new grazing areas.

To demonstrate the viability of these activities, a pilot experience will be carried out, based on the supply of this type of biomass to an agro-industrial consumer.

One of the main strengths of the cooperation group is the participation of the different agents of the value chain necessary to carry out the action, a fact that will facilitate the continuation, replication and adoption of the project results. To this end, Campos Rey, a forestry company with extensive experience in the sector, participates as a beneficiary. Indasa, a dehydration agribusiness of Alfalfa, participates in the action as a large consumer of biomass. The Livestock Association of Sierra and Cañones de Guara will participate in the livestock sector, as well as UAGA-COAG and, finally, there will be three rural development groups in the Cinco Villas (ADEFO), Hoya de Huesca (ADESHO) regions ) and Somontano (CEDER Somontano), as agents very connected with reality and the actors in their areas.