Stakeholders
APFVA
Type of Activity: Forestry
AoI: Arrago Valley
It was officially established in 2017, with the primary goal of contributing to wildfire prevention by bringing together as many forest landowners as possible within the municipal area of Descargamaría in the Arrago Valley, who wish to participate. The association focuses on the conservation, improvement, and proper use of the members’ lands, considering the multifunctional nature of the forest resources.
Currently, the Association has more than 140 members.
Since its establishment, the APFVA has achieved one of its main objectives with the establishment and official recognition in 2019 of the First Protected Forest in Extremadura, which covers a total area of 1,306 hectares, consisting of 1,475 plots. Since 2023, its management has been carried out through a Public-Private Management contract between the Regional Administration and the APFVA itself.
Additionally, since its inception, the APFVA has been the promoting and executing entity of the Project for the Generation of Resilient and Carbon-Sequestering Forest Masses, restoring an area of 170 hectares affected by previous large wildfires through actions such as regeneration support and reforestation. It has also been a collaborating entity in numerous projects, including, among others, “Parafuegos” and “Climaforest” Operational Groups, the RESIST Project (Horizon Europe), the FIREPOCTEP+ Project (Interreg), and the Green and Circular Economy Project against Wildfires and Depopulation.
As both a Promoting Entity and a Collaborating Entity, over 1.2 million euros in funding (from membership fees, donations, and project budgets) have been raised until the end of the 2024 fiscal year to achieve the main objectives of the APFVA since its establishment.
We estimate that by the end of the 2024 fiscal year, the APFVA, since its inception, will have reduced the total unmanaged forest area in Extremadura by 2,100 hectares, promoting all kinds of initiatives and investments aimed at improving the rural environment as well as the rational use of natural resources.
TERRA CAPRA
Type of Activity: Livestok
AoI: Arrago Valley
It is a family project focused on green circular economy, based on an organic extensive goat farming. The grazing of this herd significantly contributes to the prevention of fires in the valley by reducing fuel (mainly grass and brush) and maintaining fuelbreaks as an example of public-private management. Additionally, the artisanal dairy allows the transformation of the product, generating added value for the local economy.
With more than 300 goats, this herd is capable of grazing over 80 hectares in strategic areas of the valley. In recent years, it has been able to increase its herd size and create new jobs.
Asociación MOSAICO
Type of Activity: Mix (forestry, agriculture, livestock, tourism)
AoI: North of Extremadura
Collaboration with landowners, farmers, livestock breeders, public institutions, and other local organizations for the restoration of agroforestry mosaics and other sustainable traditional landscapes with the primary aim of preventing wildfires through practices that promote biodiversity, climate change adaptation, and rural development. This includes sustainable forest management, the recovery of degraded areas, the promotion of organic farming, and environmental awareness and education.
This association was the pioneer in generating the Mosaico Project movement in Extremadura. The local agents that are part of it decided to change the course of wildfire prevention in northern Extremadura after the mega Acebo fire in 2015. Currently, it hosts more than 40 local producers from more than 17 municipalities. Every year, they organize the Mosaicultura event, a cultural gathering and debate that brings together hundreds of people during its sessions to promote the creation of a more resilient landscape management model, encourage community participation, promote extensive livestock farming, sustainable tourism, and environmental education and awareness.
ASOMANCA
Type of Activity: Agriculture
AoI: North of Extremadura
It is an association that brings together farmers of the Manzanilla Cacereña olive variety in the region of Extremadura, Spain. The Manzanilla Cacereña is a variety of olive highly valued for the production of extra virgin olive due to its distinctive quality and flavor.
ASOMANCA is dedicated to the promotion, protection, and commercialization of this specific olive variety, supporting farmers in improving their agricultural practices, sustainability, and the development of high-quality products. Additionally, ASOMANCA may be involved in activities such as research, training, and advocating for the interests of its members at regional, national, and even international levels.
Despite being a recent association, it has managed to gather over 900 members in just a few years. Among its main achievements is the successful promotion of olives from northern Extremadura and the stabilization of a fair price, which has not only intensified the production of active olive groves but also led to the recovery of large areas of olive groves in mountainous regions, thereby reducing the risk of wildfires in these areas.
Collaborative strategy boosts forest resilience
Partners
*Nomenclature: EXT (Extremadura); CC (Cáceres); SG (Sierra de Gata); HUR (Hurdes); VER (Vera); MUN (Municipality); AGR (Agriculture); LIV (Livestock); FOR (Forestry); TOU (Tourism); PROD (Producer); EDU (Education); RURALDEV (Rural Development); HYDRO (Hydrology); APIC (Apiculture)