State Network of Public Forests (REMP): born to improve the management of public mountains. This is a transformative project for the promotion of forest bioeconomy coordinated by CESEFOR with the support of CIEDA and seeks to improve cooperation and sustainable management of public mountains in the context of climate change and biodiversity conservation. The State Network of Public Forests (REMP) has the support of the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), financed by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
The State Network of Public Forests (REMP)an entity that was born from the need to create spaces for cooperation and share strategies, good practices and success stories between the teams of the different Autonomous Communities (CC.AA) that manage public mountains.
The forest area of Spain occupies 56% of the national territory, which is equivalent to approximately 28,391,780 hectares, according to the most recent data for 2021. Of this area, 7,704,722 hectares are publicly owned, representing 28% of the country’s total forest area. Of these, 95.7% are classified as Public Utility Forests, covering an area of 7,372,416 hectares. These mountains are essential for the protection of the environment and biodiversity, since 55.25% of the managed forest area in Spain is publicly owned.which demonstrates our commitment to a sustainable management of forest resources.
State Network of Public Forests (REMP)
The management of the public mountains It is distributed among several entities: the State manages 321,575 hectares, the Autonomous Communities manage 1,147.719 hectares, and local entities are responsible for 6,222.667 hectares. This distribution of management ensures a closer and more efficient administration of forest resources, adapted to the needs and characteristics of each region.
Publicly owned forests are those that belong to the State, the Autonomous Communities (CC.AA.), local entities or other public institutions. Instead, the Public Utility Forests (MUP) They are a specific category within public forests that are intended to fulfill significant social, economic and environmental functions for the well-being of the community. Why a State Network of Public Forests (REMP)?
The State Network of Public Forests (REMP) It is created as a voluntary membership network without legal personality, governed by statutes, and supported administratively and technically by CESEFOR. It is of interest to the entities responsible for the management of public forests of the different Autonomous Communities and other entities such as Island Councils, Island Councils, Provincial Councils and city councils; since you are looking enhance public forest assets, promote public forest management and the goods and services derived from itall framed in the fight against climate change and the conservation of biodiversity.
The objectives of the State Network of Public Forests (REMP):
1. Promote cooperation between institutions and public organizations that they manage public mountains.
2. Improve knowledge of public forests and disseminate its values and forest management.
3. Increase the quality and quantity of information shared about the public mountains and its values.
4. Generate opportunities for development of the forest bioeconomyimproving the adaptation and mitigation capacity of forests.
The State Network of Public Forests (REMP) is a project financed by the Biodiversity Foundation within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR) and coordinated by CESEFOR with the support of CIEDA, which has a budget of €1,134,110 for 2024 and 2025.
Actions that will be carried out within the framework of the State Network of Public Forests (REMP):
1. Creation and formalization of the State Network of Public Forests (REMP): formal establishment of the State Network of Public Forestsincluding the creation of its organizational and administrative structure.
2. Creation of the Public Forests Observatory: establishment of an observatory that will provide updated information on actions in the public mountains.
3. Communication and dissemination: implementation of communication strategies to disseminate the activities and results of the project. This includes developing a communications plan and creating outreach materials.
4. Cooperation actions between entities of the State Network of Public Forests (REMP): promotion of cooperation between member entities of the State Network of Public Forests (REMP) to share good practices and solutions to common problems.
5. Training for Public Forest managers: development of training programs aimed at managers of public mountains to improve their technical and management capabilities.
6. Improvement of legal and procedural frameworks: Updating and improving the legal and procedural frameworks that govern the management of public mountains.
7. Updated information on actions in the Public Forests: maintenance and updating of an information system on the actions carried out in the public mountains.
8. Support tools for local entities: development and provision of support tools for local entities that are owners of public forests.
Public Utility Forests play a fundamental role in the conservation of ecosystems and the mitigation of climate change. Approximately 56% of the surface of these public mountains in the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands it is integrated into the Red Natura 2000, a European network of biodiversity conservation areas. In the Canary Islands, this percentage rises to 99%, underlining the importance of Public Utility Forests (MUP) in particularly sensitive regions.