Call opening soon: Catalonia’s Resilient agroforestry landscapes programme
Wildfires, pests, diseases, drought, and climate change are putting pressure on natural ecosystems. To address these challenges, it is necessary to develop sustainable landscapes that are more resilient.
The Government of Catalonia has recently launched the programme ‘Resilient agroforestry landscapes’, an initiative led by the regional government and supported by the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC).
Until now, five pilot projects have been developed. The first of which was carried out in 2023 in the municipality of Soriguera, in Pallars Sobirà. In 2024, three more pilots were launched in Terres de l’Ebre, the Camprodon Valley in Ripollès, and the Carme Valley in Anoia. The fifth pilot is in Cerdanya.
Its primary objective is to promote collaborative projects that strengthen the resilience of agroforestry landscapes throughout Catalonia, enabling these territories to better adapt to social, economic, and environmental challenges.
The programme places a strong emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration, participatory approaches, and stimulating local value creation. Among its fundamental goals are the development of multifunctional landscapes, the enhancement of ecosystem health and biodiversity, and support for the local bioeconomy, as well as the promotion of innovation within rural areas.
It is open to associations, cooperatives, small and medium-sized enterprises, local entities, and social economy organisations in the region. Each approved project must bring together at least four entities representing different sectors and formalise their cooperation through the creation of an “activating committee” responsible for coordinating actions and ensuring integrative, strategic management to address the challenges involved.
The projects will have a duration of three years, spanning the period 2026–2028, with a total budget allocation of €3 million.
The call for applications is expected to open before the end of this year. The size of the projects must cover at least 5,000 hectares and two municipalities. This program is promoted within the framework of the Bioeconomy Strategy of Catalonia 2030.
Featured image: imv from Getty Images Signature / edited in Canva