PEFC Spain since its constitution in 1999 coordinates the development and periodic review of the Spanish certification system Festal for later recognition as a PEFC system. The objective of this system is to promote management Festal Sustainable, considering the multifunctionality of the mountain and integrating the demands of its different uses and functions.
The current Spanish certification system Forestal, approved in 2014, it has been Revised to consider the new regulatory requirements of International PEFCthe previous experience in its application and all those comments received from the different interest groups. This system is formed by the organizational structure of certification and by the UNE standards of sustainable forest management.
The mountains of Andalusia and sustainability
Management festal sustainable is one of the main tools with which Andalusia protects its forest heritage and guarantees its use in a balanced and responsible way. The Autonomous Community currently has about 250,000 hectares certified under the PEFC standard (Spanish certification system Forestal).
This is a Seal that accredits compliance with demanding environmental, social and economic criteria. This management model, in which the Andalusian government plays a key role, reinforces the conservation of the mountains and contributes to the fight against climate change, in addition to generating economic opportunities for the rural environment.
The technical advisor of the General Directorate of Policy Festal and biodiversity, Gabriel Gutiérrez Tejada, emphasizes that “the forest certification supports the proper management of our mountains and promotes a bioeconomy that benefits the municipalities of rural areas, while reinforcing the role of forests in the conservation of the natural environment. ”
Andalusia is Vanguard in forest certification in southern Europewith a balance between the public and deprived management of their forests. Of the nearly 250,000 hectares certified in the Autonomous Community, 44% corresponds to public surface and the 56% remaining to private ownership.
It is system guarantees that forest spaces meet sustainability requirements required at European and national level, promoting management practices that favor the conservation of biodiversity, resilience against climate change and socio -economic revitalization of the sector Forestal.
The Distribution of the certified forest area in Andalusia varies between provincesbeing Huelva that concentrates the largest extension, with 91,159 hectares. They are followed by Seville, with 43,147 hectares, and Jaén, which reaches 33,433 hectares certified.
In Córdoba, the surface amounts to 29,198 hectares, while in Cádiz 27,683 hectares are recorded. Granada has 13,649 certified hectares, and Malaga closes the list with 10,837 hectares. In this line, Today 157 jungle entities are part of the PEFC systemcontributing to their daily work to the conservation and responsible use of the mountains.
Andalusia’s commitment to this model is firm. The Junta de Andalucía leads the Certification of public mountains, grouping in its certificate about 96,000 hectares distributed throughout the Autonomous Community. This bet allows to strengthen the role of the sector festal as a rural development engine and contribute to consolidate an economic model based on sustainability.
Andalusian forests have a great ecological diversity and are key to the conservation of unique species and ecosystems. The PEFC certification allows precisely characterizing the composition of these mountains, verifying the predominance of native species that play a fundamental role in the environmental balance.
One of the main protagonists of the landscape festal Andalusian is the oak (Quercus ilex), which adds more than 53,000 hectares certified. Next to cork oak (Quercus preser), with more than 27,000 certified hectaresmake the emblematic pastures, ecosystems of high ecological and economic value. These spaces combine the sustainable use of their resources with the preservation of biodiversity, housing important species of flora and fauna.
Others certified forest species are pine pine (Pinus Pinea), with more than 32,000 hectaresand the resine pine (Pinus pinaster), with 12,288 hectares. In the province of Huelva, the masses forestry Eucalyptus certificates (Eucalyptus globulus) occupy 23,272 hectares and are destined to the necessary sustainable production of paper paste.
One of the most relevant aspects of certification is its function in the conservation of Andalusian natural heritage. More than 60% of the surface festal Certified in the Autonomous Community is within the Natura 2000 Network, the largest system of protected spaces in the European Union. This implies that Certified mountains meet sustainable management criteriawhile contributing to the protection of habitats of high ecological value and vulnerable species.
“This management model festal It is key to strengthening the resilience of ecosystems in the face of global changes, improving soil quality and favoring water retention. Besides, It contributes to the fixation of CO₂, playing an active role in the mitigation of global warming”, He said.
The forestry industry must be sustainable
Certification festal Not only has a positive environmental impact, but also promotes the sustainable economy in Andalusia. Currently, 111 Andalusian companies have the PEFC certificate of custody, which guarantees that products derived from wood come from responsible sources.
The wood construction sector is the most representative within this certification, with 58 adhered companies, followed by the graphic and paper industry. Also, the Biofuel production as certified pellets and splinters is growingfavoring a more sustainable energy model and less dependent on fossil fuels.
Certification festal It is part of the strategies promoted by the Junta de Andalucía to combat climate change. Through the Andalusian Action Plan for the Climate (2021-2030), the community has mobilized more than 2,616 million euros in 231 shares aimed at Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote the adaptation of ecosystems to new climatic conditions.
“He Andalusian government will continue to reinforce its commitment to sustainable forest management of its mountains As one of the most effective tools to preserve the territory, guarantee the development of the sector and consolidate Andalusia as a reference in the protection of its natural heritage, ”he concluded.