The program is primarily developed at the Buixalleu nursery, where thousands of grafted plants from trees selected for their high cone and pine nut production are produced annually. This initiative provides high-quality plant material that significantly shortens the time to production and increases the yield of future plantations, benefiting forest owners and producers.
The stone pine occupies approximately 23,000 hectares in Catalonia, mainly concentrated in the coastal and pre-coastal regions of Barcelona and Girona. White pine nut production varies considerably, averaging 18 tons annually over the last decade.
Pine cone harvesting is regulated by the Order of July 18, 1991, requiring a collection license and authorization from the landowner. The regulations mandate leaving at least five cones per tree to ensure natural reproduction and prohibit the use of saws. Collection licenses have decreased from 787 in 2015 to 209 in 2025, helping to prevent illegal harvesting and organize the sector.
Grafting techniques allow for the reproduction of specimens with high productive capacity, enabling new plantations to produce pine nuts within three to four years. This stone pine arboriculture model enhances productivity, simplifies maintenance and harvesting, and improves profitability compared to traditional forest stands.
The genetic improvement program identifies exceptional trees across the territory as mother trees. Forestal Catalana maintains fields of mother trees and clonal banks to preserve this genetic heritage and collaborates with research centers to adapt materials to Catalonia's diverse climatic and soil conditions.
Pine nut production faces challenges such as the invasive American pine bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis). Genetic improvement and grafted plants are strategic tools to ensure the phytosanitary health of forests, adapt them to climate change, and secure the future viability of the sector.
The combination of genetic improvement, grafted plants, and specialized new plantations offers an opportunity to revitalize pine nut production in Catalonia, generating economic activity, valuing land, and strengthening the local production of an emblematic Mediterranean diet product.
