For decades, the debate surrounding forests has focused almost exclusively on wildfire suppression. However, fire is often the ultimate manifestation of a structural problem: years of neglect and a lack of active management. Reducing the risk of large-scale wildfires requires addressing this underlying cause, characterized by overly dense forests, excessive fuel loads, and an increasingly narrow range of uses.

Forest biomass as a strategic resource

The valorization of forest biomass, within the framework of sustainable management, emerges as a key tool to reverse this situation. Its utilization allows for:

• Reducing the density and continuity of forest fuel.
• Restoring mosaic agroforestry landscapes that are more resilient to the effects of climate change.
• Transforming underutilized forest surplus into a local, renewable, and competitive energy source.

This approach represents a paradigm shift: forests must no longer be seen solely as spaces to protect or as risks when they burn, but as territorial assets capable of generating economic activity, employment, and locally sourced energy. The energetic use of residual biomass enables the prioritization of prevention, the creation of profitable forestry operations, and the long-term sustainability of forest management efforts.

Aiguasol’s expertise: technical planning and feasibility

At Aiguasol, a worker cooperative with over 25 years of experience in the energy sector, we have observed that this shift in perspective is feasible when rigorous territorial planning is combined with robust technical and economic analyses.

An example is the study conducted jointly with the Baix Llobregat County Council, aimed at defining an integrated model of forest management and energy utilization of biomass generated through wildfire prevention work in the region’s mountains. The proposed model included:

• Identifying projects for biomass boilers and district heating networks in municipalities.
• Sizing boilers and heating networks to supply public buildings, accompanied by a detailed cost analysis.
• Assessing the technical and economic feasibility of the organizational model for collecting, processing, storing, and distributing forest chips, including estimates of investment and operational costs and defining optimal purchase and sale prices for biomass chips.

Analyses conducted—including boiler sizing, energy demand studies, and identification of potential district heating networks—indicate investment payback periods of 10 to 12 years. This economic viability directly links preventive forest management with emission reductions and the decarbonization of public building infrastructure.

The project delivers a triple positive impact: economic (generating local activity and employment), environmental (reducing emissions and wildfire risk), and social (promoting territorial cohesion and municipal engagement).

Beyond mere prevention, forest management emerges as a strategic instrument for transforming forests into drivers of resilience, sustainability, and territorial cohesion, demonstrating that the optimized use of land resources constitutes an investment in a safer and more prosperous future.