In the name of all the environmentally-conscious, Torraspapel, part of the Lecta Group, recovered riverside woodlands affected by a forest fire in the summer of 2003.

Torraspapel, aware of the importance of protecting the environment, has carried out a collaboration project with the Spanish NGO Acciónatura (previously Fundació Natura). The project consisted in the restoration of a part of a mountain stream in Vall d'Horta, in the Natural Park of Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac (province of Barcelona, Spain), an area affected by forest fires during the summer of 2003.

This integrated restoration project has improved the riverbank woodland and therefore the whole fluvial ecosystem.

AIM:

The goal of the project has been to entirely restore the area, thereby improving and speeding the recuperation of the riverbank woodland and the species that inhabit it.

BENEFITS:

The main benefits of this project lay in the restoration of the riverbank wooded area itself, overall environmental improvement of the surroundings and the gradual fixing of atmospheric carbon.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ZONE:

Despite re-growth of some trees, the intense damage caused by the fires made it difficult for vegetation to recover. The resulting land erosion required action to be taken in order to prevent further loss.

Indigenous tree species typical of the area include poplar (Populus alba), ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) and elm (Ulmus minor). The most common species of bush is willow (Salix sp.), although there are many other, less abundant species.

The torrent is of great ecological value as it is home to a numerous population of two native fish species: catfish (Squalius cephalus) and mountain barbel (Barbus meridionalis).

ACTIONS:

Restoration and reforestation work was carried by Acciónatura. In addition to the replanting of 4,200 trees and bushes of species existing in the zone before the forest fires, the following actions were also performed:

• Pruning to accelerate the recuperation of affected trees or new growth,
  
  
• Cutting down pine trees damaged by the fire with no chance of survival,
  
  
• Sowing ground vegetation and flora where land is totally lacking in vegetation,
  
  
• Creating sediment traps with branches and burned wood to prevent further land erosion, and
  
  
• Re-outlining borders to make land more level, thus promoting regrowth of vegetation.
  
  

The project was sponsored by Torraspapel with the support of Barcelona's City Council. Numerous volunteers also participated.

RESULTS
According to the experts, the reforestation has been a success. The planted species have survived and the conditions of the zone have improved, permitting a faster recovery of the woods and the species that inhabit it.

The integral restoration has improved the riverside woods and, as a result, the river ecosystem as a whole.

You can see the photo archive at this website.

For more information on the communications campaign:
Projects

For further technical information:
http://www.accionatura.org/