Listening to the soil: rethinking forest management from the ground up
A HoliSoils field workshop in Catalonia connected science and policy, showing how healthy soils and closer-to-nature forest management can strengthen Europe’s climate and biodiversity goals.
A soft autumn mist hung over the hills of Solsonès in central Catalonia on a chilly October morning, as a small group of forest engineers, researchers, public administration technicians and environmental officers gathered at the Castell de Llobera estate, one of the HoliSoils Mediterranean test sites, where scientists have been studying how thinning and prescribed burning affect soil carbon dynamics and forest resilience. Around a dozen participants from various institutions had come together to explore how Europe’s new vision of “closer-to-nature” forestry and forest soil health can be applied to Mediterranean landscapes.
The event, organised by the Catalan Forest Ownership Centre (CPF) and the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC) within the HoliSoils project, aimed to do exactly that: bring science to the field and compare ideas with reality. Targeted specifically at public administration technicians, the workshop was part of the CPF’s ongoing “train the trainers” initiative to build technical capacity and promote knowledge exchange in sustainable forest management.
“Forest soils are the great forgotten element in forestry,” said Patrícia Campdelacreu, biodiversity officer at the Central Catalonia Environmental Office. “We often look upwards, at trees and timber, but forget that their strength comes from below ground.”
Castell de Llobera: fire, water and soil
At Llobera, CTFC researchers explained that the black pine (Pinus nigra) forest surrounding the group is part of a network of demonstration sites where, a decade ago, they began testing different fuel-management treatments to improve forest resistance to wildfires and drought.
“Here we applied thinning of different intensities, with and without prescribed burning,” explained Pere Casals from the CTFC, pointing towards different sections of the stand. “We wanted to see how these practices affect soil health, tree growth and the forest’s ability to cope with climate stress.”
The HoliSoils experiments at Llobera, together with those at Secanella and Madrona, form one of the project’s key case studies on climate-smart forestry. Five years after the treatments, results show that thinning increases tree growth and drought resistance, especially when combined with prescribed burning of slash. Although burning temporarily reduces organic carbon in the surface layers, it also leads to greater soil carbon stability and stronger forest resilience. Importantly, no significant carbon losses were detected in the mineral horizons, confirming that smart fuel management can reduce wildfire risk without degrading soils.
“These findings show that reducing competition for water makes trees stronger and soils more stable,” summarised Casals. “The forest responds better when we manage it proactively.”
These results, published in the project’s Empirical analysis on Climate-Smart Forestry impacts on soils (HoliSoils Deliverable 4.4), demonstrate how management adapted to regional realities can protect both productivity and soil carbon in a warming climate.
As the group moved between soil pits and carbon-profile samples, participants discussed how these findings challenge the long-standing “fire suppression” paradigm. In Mediterranean regions, avoiding fire altogether often allows fuel to accumulate, increasing the likelihood of intense wildfires that cause far greater soil damage. Controlled burning, by contrast, can restore more natural fire regimes and maintain soil function, provided it is carried out under safe conditions.
“Soil has long been part of forest management,” added Teresa Cervera, Head of the Sustainable Forest Management Promotion Area at CPF. “But now we can quantify what happens and improve decisions. What we need is a long-term strategy for soil monitoring that goes beyond individual research projects.”
The HoliSoils team has therefore installed long-term sensors and sampling points at these Mediterranean sites to monitor soil respiration and carbon stability over time: data that feed into the project’s European soil health observatory and contribute to future soil policies under the EU Soil Deal for Europe.
The discussion soon turned to a recurring challenge: the role of private forest ownership. Over 70% of Catalonia’s forests are privately owned, which deeply shapes forest policy and the practical implementation of sustainable management. “Without involving landowners, we lose part of the picture,” said Francesca Famadas, Head of the Forest Management Area at CPF. “We can produce excellent science, but if it does not reach the people managing the land, nothing will change.”
Ribera Salada: what ‘closer-to-nature’ means in Mediterranean forests
After the first field visit, the group travelled to the Ribera Salada Forest Training Area, where another black pine forest provided the backdrop for a discussion on a concept gaining traction across Europe: closer-to-nature forestry. This approach, promoted through the EU Forest Strategy for 2030, aims to bring management closer to natural processes, enhancing forest resilience to climate change while promoting biodiversity and maintaining productive functions.
HoliSoils was not the only project represented during the visit. The INFORMA project was also mentioned for its work on promoting closer-to-nature forest management across Europe, complementing HoliSoils by linking sustainable practices to carbon sequestration and biodiversity goals.
“Closer-to-nature forestry is not something entirely new for us,” said Teresa Baiges from the CPF. “In the Mediterranean, we have long applied practices that respect natural regeneration, structural diversity, and mixed species stands. What is new now is that EU institutions are finally recognising the value of this approach and giving it a stronger framework.”
During the discussion, CTFC researchers emphasised that, unlike in Central and Northern Europe’s intensively managed forests, the main challenge in Catalonia is under-management. Maintaining open landscapes and reducing fuel loads are essential to prevent large wildfires.
Participants used the Marteloscope I+ app, a training tool that visualises how different thinning decisions affect biodiversity, productivity and soil indicators. The exercise illustrated how digital tools developed within HoliSoils can support forest managers in balancing ecological and economic objectives through evidence-based decisions.
“We are often compared to northern forests where clear-cutting is common,” added Famadas. “But here our forests are dense and fire-prone, and sometimes the best way to restore them is to open them up. We need policies that recognise that difference.” Campdelacreu brought the reflection back to the human scale: “If management decisions are made far from the territory, rural life and forest management will fade away,” she warned. “We need to listen to the land again.”
Beyond projects: from research to practice
The day ended with a clear message shared among all participants: science must be translated into practice. European projects like HoliSoils generate valuable knowledge, yet results often remain within research circles, far from forest technicians and practitioners. “We need clear, shared messages,” said Cervera. “To know what has already been proven and can be applied. If every project starts from zero, we will never move forward.”
To bridge this gap, HoliSoils has produced a wide range of resources, such as policy briefs and synthesis reports, tailored to forest managers, policymakers and educators. These materials summarise how adaptive thinning, prescribed burning and continuous-cover management can strengthen both forest soil health and climate resilience in regions facing increasing drought and wildfire risk.
Representatives from the CPF agreed that one of the keys lies in building long-term demonstration networks and ensuring continuity of soil monitoring. These living laboratories and workshops are essential to communicate evidence-based results that can convince both landowners and policymakers that sustainable management is a long-term investment, not a cost.
By late afternoon, as the mist lifted over the Solsonès valleys, the group reflected on what had been learned: that the future of Catalonia’s forests lies beneath our feet. It depends on the health of their soils, on understanding the invisible processes that sustain them, and on learning from nature not to imitate it but to coexist with it. “When we understand the soil,” said Cervera, “we understand the whole system. It is the foundation that connects productivity, biodiversity and resilience.”
With that reminder, HoliSoils closed its workshop in Catalonia, leaving behind not only dialogue but also tangible data and long-term monitoring plots that will continue informing Europe’s soil and climate strategies. The takeaway was simple yet powerful: without healthy soils, there can be no climate-smart forestry or resilient forests in Europe.
The text and photographs in this article were produced by Gerard Fernández, Communications Officer at the European Forest Institute (EFI) and member of the HoliSoils project’s Communication and Dissemination Work Package.
