GO PLANFORLAB: Network of forest laboratories with improved plant material to increase resilience and productivity in conifer forests
PLANFORLAB is an operational group whose objective is to improve the health and productivity of conifer forests through innovations in genetic material (Forest Reproductive Material, FRM) and adaptive silviculture practices. Using the forest laboratory concept, the project seeks to strengthen forest resilience against pests, diseases and climate change, benefiting timber producers. The project focuses on the development of improved plants of Pinus pinaster, Pinus radiata and Pinus sylvestris, using innovative genetic material.
In addition, PLANFORLAB will create a digital network to exchange experiences and results on genetic improvement and strategies against forest pathologies. The project is aligned with the objectives of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP-AGRI), promoting sustainability, climate change adaptation and competitiveness in the forestry sector.
The main objective of the PLANFORLAB project is to develop new improved forest plants and optimise the sustainable management of conifer forests. This will be achieved through the creation of resilient models to address diseases and climate change. The specific objectives include:
1. To create a network of forest laboratories that enables scientists and forest managers to observe and monitor the behaviour of Pinus pinaster, Pinus radiata and Pinus sylvestris in response to pathologies and climate change.
2. To implement innovative technologies for the production of improved forest plants through collaboration between nursery companies and research centres.
3. To improve the prevention and control of forest pathologies through the use of genetically improved plants, harmonising monitoring methodologies and promoting the use of high genetic quality plants in reforestation.
4. To create a digital collaboration network to share data and results among the actors involved and the potential beneficiaries of the project.
This project aims to strengthen the resilience of conifer forests and promote their long-term economic sustainability.
The results expected to be achieved with the PLANFORLAB project are as follows:
1. Establishment of three forest laboratories, one in each of the participating autonomous communities: Castilla y León, Galicia and the Basque Country, with the design of innovative silvicultural models for the species Pinus pinaster, Pinus sylvestris and Pinus radiata, aimed at reducing the risk of pathologies and improving resilience to climate change.
2. Production of improved reproductive material (through sexual and vegetative propagation) of the aforementioned species Pinus pinaster, Pinus sylvestris and Pinus radiata, to be established in the forest laboratories using silvicultural models and the material generated for trials under controlled greenhouse conditions.
3. Establishment of trial and demonstration plots in the forest laboratories, with a minimum of 2 hectares each, which will allow data comparison and the evaluation of the resistance of reproductive materials to pathogens.
4. Creation of a digital monitoring network that will facilitate access to data on the forest laboratories and trial plots, promoting the dissemination of results to foresters, service companies, nursery operators and other stakeholders.
Operational Groups, the main actors in the implementation of EIP-AGRI (European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability), are one of the key tools in the implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027 to promote innovation in the agri-food and forestry sectors within the European framework. It involves the grouping of agents with different profiles but common interests, such as farmers, livestock breeders, companies, research centres or training and dissemination organisations, who come together to implement an innovation project in order to provide a joint and multisectoral response to a problem or need.
Innovation project framed within the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027, funded 80% by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) of the European Union and 20% by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA). La Dirección General de Desarrollo Rural, Innovación y Formación Agroalimentaria (DGDRIFA) es la autoridad responsable de la aplicación de estas ayudas. Total project budget: €599,134.24; Total grant: €599,134.24.
