The transformation of degraded ecosystems is a challenge that demands knowledge, care, and a long-term vision. From 27 November to 1 December, EcoAtivo, in collaboration with the Spanish environmental association ADENEX, carried out an intervention on the Ananda Kalyani land, located in the municipality of Covilhã, with the aim of transforming an abandoned industrial pine forest into a biodiverse woodland. This pilot project, developed over an area of approximately 2,000 m², drew on the principles of syntropic agriculture, promoting soil regeneration and the creation of a biodiverse, self-sustaining system. The primary objective was to establish a natural firebreak, harnessing the advantages of a biodiverse forest, which retains greater soil moisture and reduces fire risk. Grounded in the natural cycles of ecosystems, the design incorporated ecological succession and multiple forest strata (low, mid, high and emergent), ensuring the development of a balanced and resilient system.
The project was structured in two main phases: an initial clearing of the land, followed by a second phase dedicated to the construction of structures, half-moon swales, and the planting of carefully selected species.
1st Phase: Cleaning and e preparation of the land
The first phase began with a detailed analysis of the land. The pine forest, originally planted for industrial purposes and abandoned for at least a decade, showed a high degree of ecological degradation. The dense pine monoculture limits biodiversity, blocks light from entering, and leaves the soil acidic and dry due to the slow decomposition of pine needles.
Interventions made:
- Selective pine cutting: Approximately 70% of the pine trees were removed, retaining the larger trees (diameter greater than 20 cm) and spacing the remaining pines around 3 metres apart. This approach was adopted to allow greater sunlight penetration and create conditions for new species to establish themselves..
- Biomass management: All felled timber was processed on site. Branches and smaller trunks were set aside for the construction of water retention structures, while larger ones were stored for future use as firewood. The reuse of biomass is one of the fundamental principles of syntropic agriculture, which seeks to integrate all elements of the system in a sustainable way.
- Selective scrub removal: Vegetation such as gorse and heather was largely removed, though some specimens were retained to preserve biodiversity and protect the soil.
Impacts of the clearing:
Opening up the pine canopy allowed greater light penetration and improved microclimatic conditions for subsequent interventions. In addition, the redistribution of biomass across the land helped to stabilise the soil and prevent erosion.”
2nd Phase: Half-moon construction and plantation
The second phase, carried out with the collaboration of nine ADENEX volunteers, was marked by the construction of 40 half-moon swales — contour-line structures designed to retain water and promote soil fertility — and the planting of approximately 400 trees and shrubs.
Construction of the half-moon swales:
The swales were built using biomass available on site, such as pine trunks and branches. Each swale was carefully constructed taking into account the slope of the land. These structures play a central role in ecological regeneration, offering benefits such as:
- Water retention: They capture and store rainwater, ensuring moisture availability for plants during dry periods.
- Soil stabilisation: They reduce erosion and improve the water infiltration capacity of the soil.
- Natural fertilisation: Wood and other organic materials, as they decompose, enrich the soil with nutrients over time.
- Spatial organisation: They facilitate planting in predefined patterns, improving work efficiency.
Selection and plantating of the species:
Planting was based on the principles of syntropic agriculture, with species chosen for their adaptation to local conditions and distributed across four stratification levels (low, mid, high and emergent) and four ecological successions (placenta, secondary 1 and 2, climax). Among the species planted, the following stand out: Arbutus unedo, Cercis siliquastrum, Chamaecytisus palmensis, Viburnum tinus, Punica granatum, Casuarina equisetifolia, Ligustrum lucidum, Ficus carica, Olea europaea var. sylvestris, Quercus pyrenaica, Fraxinus angustifolia, Populus nigra, Ulmus minor, Cupressus sempervirens e Quercus ilex.
To ensure an efficient and functional design for the ecological regeneration of the land, two distinct planting patterns were implemented, designated 1A and 1B. These patterns were developed based on the principles of ecological succession and stratification, ensuring that each swale included species from different strata and successive phases. The alternation between patterns allowed for a diversification of species combinations across the intervention area, creating a more balanced ecological mosaic.
Seeding
In the initial succession areas (placenta), a mix of wheat, ryegrass, oats, lupin and vetch was sown, creating a ground cover that improves the nutritional profile and structure of the soil. In addition, some acorns of Quercus ilex (holm oak) were planted to increase the system’s resilience to fire. The holm oak can also be regarded as a “plant of the future”, an ecological succession species with a very long life cycle and a very slow growth rate.
Challenges
- Uneven terrain: the steep slope made the construction of the half-moon swales more difficult, requiring extra care in the placement of the structures to prevent soil slippage.
- Lack of on-site biomass: the quantity of thin branches and trunks left in the intervention area after tree felling was limited. To work around this, some of the wood set aside for firewood had to be used instead.
- Impact of local wildlife: wild boar and deer, common in the region, pose a threat to the plantings. To mitigate this impact, stakes were placed around the newly planted trees and shrubs.
Conclusion
This project marked a significant step in the transformation of a stagnant ecosystem, dominated by a pine monoculture, into a biodiverse and resilient woodland. The interventions carried out created promising conditions for revitalising the soil and promoting biodiversity, while at the same time strengthening resilience against fire. In the coming years, we will carefully monitor the results to assess the impact of the actions taken and adjust strategies for future interventions. We plan to continue the work across the remaining area of the pine forest, applying approaches refined through this experience, thereby expanding the reach and effectiveness of these regenerative actions.
