La transición ecológica se unió al «Día Internacional del Bosque 2025»

In 2025, The theme of the day was forests and food, to honor the fundamental role played by forests in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. In addition to providing food, fuel, income, and employment, forests promote soil fertility, protect water resources, and provide habitats for biodiversity, including vital pollinators.

They are essential for the survival of communities that depend on forests, especially indigenous peoples, and contribute to mitigating changes in carbon storage..

Another year, the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (Miteco) joined the celebration of International Day of Forests 2025, proclaimed in November 2012 by The United Nations General Assembly to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests existing on our planet.

This year, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations chose the motto «Forests and Food» emphasizing the importance of forests in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. More than five billion people worldwide depend on forest products for food, medicine, and essential resources.

Furthermore, forests play a crucial role in balancing agricultural ecosystems, regulating water, soil fertility, and protecting pollen, essential factors for food production.

Vice President and Minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Sara Agesen, emphasized the importance of International Day of Forests under the theme Forests and Food, recognizing «the fundamental role played by forests in food security».

She also highlighted that forests are «a valuable source of forest biomass, generate food, income, and employment, in addition to promoting soil fertility, protecting water resources, and providing essential habitats for biodiversity.», key aspects in mitigating climate change.

The ministry promoted the celebration of International Day of Forests 2025 on a day that took place in Soria on March 20 and 21, in collaboration with the Castilla y León Regional Board, the city of Soria, and the Together for Forests platform.

In her speech, the General Manager of Biodiversity, Forests, and Desertification, María Jesús Rodríguez de Sancho, emphasized that Spain, due to its climatic and ecological diversity, hosts great potential in non-timber forest products.

Spain is one of the countries with the highest mycological wealth in Europe, with over three thousand eight hundred species of wild mushrooms. Additionally, it leads the global production of black truffle, with production concentrated in Castilla y León, along with Aragón and Catalonia, and extending to other regions.

These products represent high ecological value and provide an opportunity for economic revitalization in areas affected by depopulation and demographic challenges, where their sustainable use can contribute to job creation, population settlement, and economic diversification.

For the development of forest policy and biodiversity conservation, having a quality information system is essential, such as the National Forest Inventory, the flagship project of Spanish forest statistics, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025, providing information on forest formations and resources.

Thanks to this work, we know the increasing evolution of the forest area, with over half of Spanish territory being forested, sought at 38%. This year, fieldwork for the fourth cycle of the inventory was completed, with the survey of the last plot in the Sierra de Las Nieves (Ronda, Málaga).

Sustainable forest management, the promotion of bioeconomy, and biodiversity conservation require a firm commitment and concrete actions. State forest strategies and programs provide a solid framework for sustainable mountain resources, emphasizing their role in food security, rural economy, and resilience against climate change.

Horizon of the Spanish Forest Strategy 2050 (ef) strengthens the multifunctional vision of mountains, recognizing the value of non-wood forest products as a sustainable economic alternative, as well as a key tool for forest ecosystem conservation and adaptation.

To achieve these goals, the Spanish Forest Plan 2022-2032 (PFE) considers specific measures in its strategic axis of forest bioeconomy, aimed at strengthening non-wood applications.

Improving statistics and training is a priority, promoting marketing strategies in national and international markets, boosting partnerships and professionalization of the sector, as well as creating dialogue forums between producers, industry, and administrations.

Aligned with the objectives of these planning tools, the Directorate General of Biodiversity, Forests, and Desertification is developing various lines of work on forest genetic resources to strengthen the diversification and resilience of forest ecosystems.

In the field of truffles, the National Forest Genetic Resources Center El Serranillo has been running an experimental program since 2013 for the expansion of truffle cultivation (Pipe Aestivum and Tuber Borchii) outside traditional areas, to develop sustainable productive models in Mediterranean environments.

It also works on genetic conservation and improvement of the pine (Pinus piña), through the selection and cataloging of highly productive pine nut producers and agroforestry management of the species.

Additionally, in collaboration with the Biodiversity Foundation, two calls for aid are being managed, totaling 97 million euros to fund 70 bioeconomy transformation projects, to promote sustainable use of forest resources, generate new economic opportunities in rural areas, and contribute to a more innovative, resilient, and climate change-aligned productive model.

This was made possible thanks to the Next Generation Funds of the European Union, which have provided a unique opportunity to Promote bioeconomy from the ministry.

The General Manager announced that in the coming months, new aid calls funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) aimed at promoting Initiatives related to Bioeconomy, including the sustainable use of forest-derived foods. In total, 39 million euros will be allocated to boost innovative forest bioeconomy projects.

FUENTE