The Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food has organized a conference in Agullana (Alt Empordà) to emphasize the importance of livestock in preventing forest fires. The event, themed «Grazing the Future: Flocks, Forests, and Fire Prevention», brought together over 110 participants from the forestry, shepherd, and livestock sectors, highlighting the growing interest in extensive livestock farming as a key tool for maintaining open spaces and adapting forests to climate change.
The meeting served as a platform for knowledge exchange among forest owners, shepherds, livestock farmers, technicians, and representatives of public administrations. The indispensable role of flocks in maintaining mosaic landscapes, crucial for preventing major forest fires, was emphasized, and the potential of extensive livestock farming as a forest management tool was analyzed.
During the conference, experiences and practical cases were presented on how to integrate extensive livestock farming into forest management, particularly in strategic fire prevention zones. A field trip to the Can Genís Estate allowed observation of a herd of 40 cows with 30 years of continuous grazing in the area.
The debate focused on the necessary measures to increase grazing areas, facilitate the incorporation of new shepherds, and reinforce the role of flocks in forest management and fire prevention. This year's edition reaffirms the historical relationship between forests and livestock, which has shaped Mediterranean forest landscapes and is regaining relevance in the face of climate change.
The Department of Agriculture maintains a line of aid to promote silvopasture, a practice that helps maintain undergrowth with low biomass volume, thereby improving fire prevention and contributing to biodiversity and the maintenance of open spaces.
