Line of action:

Terrestrial ecosystems

Status:

En ejecución

Location:

Cádiz and Seville (Andalusia), Barcelona and Girona (Catalonia), Cáceres and Badajoz (Extremadura), Alicante and Castellón (Community of Valencia)

Geographic scope:

España

Execution date:

2024

Duration:

01/01/2024 - 31/12/2025

Typology:

Development and diversification of forestry uses and harvests

Total budget:

1,456,675.07 euros

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

1,383,841.31 euros

Sustainable forest management of cork oak forests, cork harvesting and its uses play an important role in climate change, rural development and the bioeconomy, as well as protecting a unique ecosystem such as cork oak forests, one of the richest in biodiversity in the EU, and for its effects as a natural barrier against desertification and forest fires. Rural areas where cork oak forests are located face demographic challenges due to depopulation and the lack of generational relief that generates depopulation, migration to urban areas and forest abandonment.

Cork oak forests are the basis of one of the most important value chains in the Mediterranean forest area. In Spain, they comprise nearly half a million hectares of forest and pastureland, to which cork brings considerable economic benefit. This chain is characterized for being centered in a rural area and for producing one main end product, the cork stopper. Climate change is a serious threat to the conservation of cork oak forests, sustainable cork production and its value chain. The Mediterranean area, where the cork oak is a characteristic element, is considered one of the bioclimatic regions most vulnerable to climate change (EEA, 2008). Sustainable forest management of cork oak forests, cork harvesting and its uses play an important role in climate change, rural development and the bioeconomy, as well as protecting a unique ecosystem such as cork oak forests, one of the richest in biodiversity in the EU, and for its effects as a natural barrier against desertification and forest fires. Rural areas where cork oak forests are located face demographic challenges due to depopulation and the lack of generational relief that generates depopulation, migration to urban areas and forest abandonment.

 

The overall objective of the FUTURECORK project is the adaptation and optimization of the cork sector to the current and future ecological, economic and social situation, positioning Spain on the path to regain world leadership in the cork sector based on innovation, preservation of biodiversity, employment generation and bioeconomy.

• Integrated control plans against phytophthora and lymantria in cork oak groves.
• Reactivation of forests that have suffered from fires
• Carbon sink.
• Regeneration of degraded cork oak forest.
• Precision sub-herb cultivation and optimization of the seasonality of sacking.
• Professionalization of cork harvesting from a gender perspective and promotion of youth employment.
• Rural entrepreneurship in new cork applications (start ups).
• Promoting the circular bioeconomy of the cork sector through the development of an integrated management plan for its by-products.
• Characterization of cork by-products.
• Development of composite materials for new applications with cork for new markets.
• Design of a GIS for cork stoppers in Spain.
• Management of winter bornizo cork.
• Project communication plan.
• Awareness of the ecosystem services of cork oak forests.
• Dissemination of cork material A16 Coordination.