Planting season in forest areas ended with 152 hectares of forest planted - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e Alimentação

The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food announced today that the 2023-2024 forest planting season ended last April, with a total of 152 hectares having been planted in public and private areas of production forest and protection forest.

Regarding production forests, which promote the economy and sustainability and are strategic for the sustainable supply of timber and non-timber resources, around 57 hectares of production forest were planted in private areas and 31 hectares in public areas, mostly with coniferous species.

Public areas, known as Forest Perimeters and Regional Forests, are managed by the Regional Directorate for Forest Resources and Spatial Planning in conjunction with the local Forestry Services. The latter have the mission of ensuring the responsible use of natural resources for land management, as this is the land use that ensures the resilience of the territory, and also for the ecosystem services it provides, essential for well-being and quality of life.

"Sustainable forest management is a practice that is increasingly being adopted in these areas to safeguard the renewal of forest resources and minimise environmental impact. Forest management certification plays an important role in ensuring that products from these forests meet strict sustainability standards," highlighted António Ventura.

As for protection forests, which play a crucial role in preserving water resources, regulating the climate and preventing natural disasters such as landslides or windstorms, about 44 hectares were planted in private areas and 20 hectares in public areas, mainly with endemic, native and hardwood species.

The government official recalled that this type of afforestation "protects springs, controls soil erosion and guarantees the stability of slopes." In this regard, "policies aimed at protecting and monitoring forest resources are implemented to preserve these important ecosystems, reducing deforestation and promoting the recovery of degraded areas."

"These plants were produced in the Forestry Services’ nurseries as a result of the investment that has been made in recent years to increase the production of species such as Azores laurel (Laurus azorica), Picconia azorica, Azores juniper (Juniperus brevifolia), Azores Holly (Ilex azorica), Firetree (Morella faya), Azores blueberry (Vaccinium cylindraceum), Azores laurel cherry (Prunus azorica), Azorean Heather (Erica azorica), Azorean Buckthorn (Frangula azorica) and Azorean laurustinus (Viburnum treleasei)," he said.

António Ventura added that these plants "have been used by private landowners to reforest their areas as well as to restore areas within the forest perimeter near water lines, springs, slopes or other sensitive areas."

"Production and protection forests play complementary and fundamental roles in the quest for sustainability. Protecting and managing these areas responsibly is essential to ensuring a prosperous future for present and forthcoming generations," he emphasised.

The Regional Secretary alsostated that with the end of the planting season, the next task ‘will be the monitoring of plant growth and the implementation of management measures to guarantee the success of forests, specifically the clearing operations required to combat fast-growing invasive species, whose shade results in high levels of mortality among young plants."

"If we want to ensure the success of the planting season that has just ended, we will need to invest, once again, in cleaning, which will be carried out next summer or early autumn, depending on the condition of the ground and the plants," he said.