In our previous post, written while the fire was still burning in the Sierra Oeste de Madrid, I shared the shock of seeing our family forests affected by the July wildfire. Three months later, the smoke has cleared and a quieter, but no less demanding, phase has begun: turning concern into concrete projects.
Of the roughly 700 ha managed by our members, about 300 ha were affected by the fire. Our holm oak woodlands (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota) are resilient, but resilience is not the same as recovery. Without active management, damaged trees, dense regrowth and exposed soils could leave these forests even more vulnerable to the next fire.
So this autumn, our small association has spent more time in front of the computer than in the forest. Together with research and technical partners, we have coordinated an application for an EIP-AGRI Operational Group on the post-fire restoration of holm oak woodlands. Its aim is to test practical, affordable techniques that other small forest owners can replicate. We have also applied for regional public funding for restoration works. In addition, we are exploring an industrial PhD that would link long-term research with the day-to-day management of our forests.
None of these proposals has been decided yet, and some may not succeed. Still, the process itself has been valuable. It has pushed us to agree on priorities, organise our members, review our plots and strengthen our ties with universities, companies and public administrations. For a family-based association, that is no small step.
This is perhaps the main lesson we would share with other small forest owners: organisation is what turns fragmented plots into a credible partner. Alone, each of us owns a few hectares of land affected by the fire. Together, we can propose a plan for a more resilient landscape.
We will keep you posted, hopefully with good news.
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