3rd Expert Committee Meeting of the LIFE Haya Project in Ezcaray

In the two previous Expert Committees, the programme focused on forestry aspects. In this 3rd Committee, the objective was to focus on the aspects linked to the execution of the harvests and the destination of the wood from these harvests, factors that currently condition the harvests in La Rioja. These factors mainly include the steep slope of the terrain and the energy recovery of wood, including its use in biomass power stations.

The two scheduled visits were carried out on actual files offered for sale. Both forests are certified by PEFC under the regional PEFC 14-23-00012 certificate. In the Valgañón forest, the marking carried out was discussed, as well as the aspects related to the execution of the harvesting and the destination of the large timber to be extracted. In the Monte Hondo stand in Ezcaray, a different conformation of the beech forest was observed, which, due to the circumstances of the terrain, will have to be harvested by wiring.

The LIFE Haya project promotes a ‘Close to Nature’ continuous canopy forestry model, which aims not only to adapt forest ecosystems to climate change, but also to improve their biodiversity and promote sustainable forest management practices. This model is being implemented in a set of ten demonstration stands distributed in ten public utility forests in four regions of Spain: La Rioja, Navarra, Castilla y León and the Basque Country.

Finally, innovative products made from this wood were shown, highlighting its role in new construction trends aimed at mitigating climate change and improving energy efficiency.