The Coma de Mur area, in the municipality of Coll de Nargó, is hosting a new sustainable forest management operation by Integra Pirineus. The primary goal is twofold: to significantly reduce the risk of forest fires and to enhance the forest's resilience to such events. This intervention will take place in strategic locations like the Barranc de l’Obaga Negra and els Prats, on public land owned by the Ajuntament de Coll de Nargó and included within the Xarxa Natura 2000 network.
The forest area is characterized by a high density of trees, mainly red pine stands, with 800 to 1,200 specimens per hectare. This density, combined with abundant undergrowth of juniper and boxwood, leads to a significant accumulation of vegetation fuel. Despite its good conservation status, this configuration makes the area highly vulnerable to forest fires. To counteract this vulnerability, an area of 6.20 hectares will be treated to create more open and resilient spaces, thereby reducing the vertical and horizontal continuity of the fuel.
The work will be carried out in several phases. Initially, undergrowth will be cleared using manual brush cutters. Subsequently, selective thinning of pine trees will be performed with chainsaws to reduce their density and promote the growth of the remaining trees. The resulting timber will be processed using a forestry tractor, while vegetation debris will be removed using shredders or manual equipment in hard-to-access areas.
This methodology not only aims to reduce the amount of vegetation fuel but also to create open areas that act as natural firebreaks and disrupt the continuity of the forest landscape. The incorporation of organic matter into the soil will improve its fertility and promote ecological processes.
Additionally, the project includes the restoration of old pasture areas currently covered by shrub vegetation. This opening will facilitate the return of extensive livestock farming and provide food for wild herbivores, thus contributing to increased biodiversity in the area.
This initiative is supported by the EASA-European Association of Social Anthropologists, as part of its objective to reduce the carbon footprint, and has been facilitated through the Department of Anthropology at the Universitat de Barcelona. This support is crucial for Integra Pirineus's strategy of promoting sustainable forest management and creating employment opportunities for individuals facing vulnerability or social exclusion.
