Wildfires, Resilience and Creating Value from Europe’s Forests

It has been devastating to witness the wildfires that have swept across Europe this summer, causing widespread damage to ecosystems, communities, and local economies. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, drought and wildfire risks are becoming increasingly significant challenges for forest managers and rural communities alike.

At OptiForValue, we are working to address these challenges by developing innovative solutions that improve both forest resilience and the value that can be derived from forest resources. Our researchers are investigating methods for early warning indicators and fire and drought risk assessments, evaluating how different forest management practices influence resilience to drought and fire, and modelling optimised forest value chains.

This research is feeding into our Spanish case study, “Value from Resilience”, which is developing a Decision Support System (DSS) to support forest owners and managers in the region by identifying opportunities to increase the value of wood from low-quality forest stands that have been impacted by drought and wildfire. The region is dominated by Pinus pinaster (maritime pine), one of Spain’s most important commercial tree species. However, increasing drought stress and wildfire impacts can reduce growth rates, lower timber quality, and ultimately diminish the economic viability of forest management. In many cases, this can contribute to land abandonment, creating further challenges for maintaining healthy and resilient landscapes.

Research being undertaken within OptiForValue seeks to break this cycle by exploring how forest management and innovative value chains can support both environmental resilience and economic sustainability. By creating higher-value uses for damaged or lower-quality wood, the project aims to strengthen the forest bioeconomy and incentivise active forest management.

This challenge is highlighted in a recent article published by Selviaula (a sustainable forestry educational platform run by OptiForValue partner Cesefor), which notes that many of the severe wildfires experienced in areas of Spain are not only driven by climate-related extreme weather conditions but are also intensified by wider socio-economic trends. Rural depopulation resulting in the expansion of large, homogeneous, unmanaged forest areas have reduced the landscape diversity that can help slow the spread of fires. The absence of natural firebreaks and varied land use can create conditions that allow wildfires to spread more rapidly across the landscape.

According to Selviaula, restoring mixed forest ecosystems and generating tangible economic value through a thriving forest bioeconomy could play an important role in addressing these challenges. Creating employment and business opportunities linked to sustainable forest management can help retain and attract people in rural areas, ensuring that landscapes continue to be actively managed and better protected against future wildfire risks.

Through its research and innovation activities, OptiForValue is contributing to this vision by helping forest stakeholders transform climate-related challenges into opportunities for increased resilience, sustainable value creation, and long-term forest health.