IURC Regions Advance Forestry Cooperation between Europe, Chile and Australasia

The IURC Region-to-Region Community of Practice on Resilient Agriculture and Forestry (CoP #2) has strengthened international collaboration through two dedicated meetings held on 24 and 27 March 2026, bringing together partners from Europe, Chile and Australasia to explore joint approaches to sustainable forest management. They are members of the sub-group “resilient forestry”, including Trier Region (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany), Southwest (Australia), Concepción-Biobio (Chile), Central Macedonia (Greece) and – most recently – Catalonia (Spain).

Catalonia, coordinated in the IURC project by Aida Diaz Saez from the Department of Research and Universities, hosted the first exchange, involving representatives of the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC) from Catalonia. The meeting focused on identifying synergies between the IURC programme and the ongoing EU-funded FIRE-RES project (Horizon Europe). The project – coordinated by the (CTFC -focuses on improving fire safety and resilience by studying how fires start, spread, and can be controlled. The project also has a strong international dimension, bringing together partners from different countries, including research institutions, government agencies, and industry experts. Through this collaboration, knowledge, data, and best practices are shared to address fire risks across diverse environments and improve global preparedness and response to fire hazards. Antoni Transobares, Director of the CTFC, and colleagues presented their work on territorial reactivation with multifunctional forest management, considering biodiversity, water and fires, and mentioned emblematic projects in Europe and intercontinental collaborations. Antoni discussed forest management and the city-region duality, focusing on the importance of water management and the recovery of forest landscapes in areas with a Mediterranean climate. María González – also from CTEF – explained how they evaluate the forest-water binomial and how they can modulate its operation through forest management to increase the supply of runoff and infiltration, in addition to considering the ecological effects on river channels.

Simon Berti, President of the Chilean Forest Engineers Association (CIFAG), explained how the radiata pine became a promising species for afforestation in Chile due to its ability to quickly cover eroded soils and stop erosion resulting from large bushfires and unsustainable cattle in the past. He described how the Chilean forestry sector has grown significantly since the 1970s, with exports of forest products of approximately six billion US dollars annually and around 1 million people depending on the sector. Simon explained that in Chile, 60% of the forest heritage is held by large companies. In contrast, medium and small foresters hold the rest, and approximately 80% of the plantations are certified. Berti also described the challenges with forest fires in Chile, where 99.9% are caused by people, and more than 50% in the Biobío and Araucanía regions are intentional, being 5 to 8 times more harmful than negligent ones.

Discussions highlighted the importance of integrated landscape management, combining fire prevention, water management, and bioeconomy approaches. Participants also explored how Living Labs and interregional cooperation could support the development of locally adapted solutions for forest resilience.

The second meeting, held with representatives from Rhineland-Palatinate and Chile, deepened the technical dialogue by focusing on forest management practices and climate adaptation challenges. Exchanges highlighted key issues in Chile, including the legacy of deforestation, the prevalence of plantation forests, and the increasing risk of intentional forest fires. The group explored possibilities for study visits and collaboration, including potential visits to Chile and Germany, with a focus on forest management and water cycle issues. Simon Berti from the Chilean CIFAG explained that while the Chilean Forest Service (CONAF) requires management plans for planting, there is no financial incentive for landowners to be rewarded for services like carbon sequestration or water infiltration. Dr. Eva-Verena Müller, a forest hydrologist from the State Forestry Service of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany, suggested that her work on valuing water-related ecosystem services could be relevant to the forestry challenges discussed, particularly regarding forest contributions to underground water and lateral flow. She described a new scientific project measuring water infiltration through restructured skid trails and discussed developing payment systems for private landowners to incentivise water-related ecosystem services. Both experts shared insights on multifunctional forest management, including the Integration of diverse tree species in native forests, promoting biodiversity and resilience through mixed forest systems.

Across both meetings, participants identified three priority areas for future cooperation:

• Water-related ecosystem services and forest management, including infiltration and water cycle regulation
• Soil productivity and compaction, addressing erosion and long-term soil health
• Integration of diverse tree species in native forests, promoting biodiversity and resilience through mixed forest systems

The discussions also opened pathways for broader collaboration involving partners from Australia, Greece and other European regions, reinforcing the role of IURC Communities of Practice as platforms for structured knowledge exchange and joint action.

As a next step, partners will work towards defining a joint work programme, including study visits and potential participation in international events such as Expo Corma 2026 in Chile, further advancing cooperation on forestry and climate resilience. This is being coordinated with Councillor Christian Paulsen from Concepción, Bio-Bio region in Chile.

Through these exchanges, the IURC programme continues to support regions in addressing shared environmental challenges while fostering international partnerships for sustainable land and forest management.