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New book & several projects

Silvicultura tropical

In 2021 a new book was published entitled ‘Tropical Silviculture - Brasil’. - Joao Carvalho contributed one chapter: Carvalho, J. (2021). Close to nature silviculture and the valuation of the Brazilian forest (in Portuguese), pp.16-31. - He keeps also Pro Silva contacts to Portuguese language countries.

Pro Silva Portugal is involved in several projects

Project and Workshop Journey

Research & Development Project Scapefire - A sustainable landscape planning model for rural fires prevention. Founded by FCT – National Foundation for Science and Technology. Close to nature silviculture as part of a sustainable forest management and the role of native forests of oak and cork-oak.

Functions, Forestry and Applications in native oak forest are in the focus of the project. Specific topics are the oak ecosystem, goods and services, Close-to-nature forestry, Integration of functions and applications of oak wood in added-value products.

Project Bosques

Close-to-nature forestry intends to improve oak management in order to promote its multiple functions and profitability in a sustainable way. The project seeks a greater valuation of the natural forest landscape of the territories and promoting forestry practices that ensures the ecological integrity of forest ecosystems. Project involves the development and research activities around the valuation of oak forests and close to nature forestry (CNF).

New book published in Portugal

Joan Carvalho, our representative from Pro Silva Portugal published a book, that may be also of great interest for our partners in Brazil and interested people in Mosamique:

Published the bookSilvicultura Próxima da Natureza – Conciliar Economia e Ecologia para uma Silvicultura Mulifuncional, Rentável e Sustentável (in Portuguese)[Close-to-Nature Silviculture – Conciliate Economy and Ecology to a Multifunctional, Profitable and Sustainable Silviculture], Ed Quantica. Joao P Fidalgo Carvalho (Pro Silva Portugal)

About the book

Close-to-nature silviculture promotes the conciliation of economy and ecology, contributing to a sustainable, multifunctional, profitable and integrate forest.

Improves the economical rentability of the forest, increasing its value and productivity, and allowing periodic revenues. At the same time, it promotes and integrates ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, soil and water conservation, and landscape preservation.

Performs techniques in accordance to the natural processes for the regeneration and growth of the forest. Supports a holistic approach that considers the forest ecosystem as a whole, favoring its integrity, functioning and adaptive capability.

The practice of silviculture leads to an improvement of the total economic value of the forest stand, allowing sustainable revenues, while maintaining the natural forest conditions. Provides interesting contributions to the sustainability goals in their different dimensions, with benefits to the forest owner, the society, and the environment.

Close-to-mature silviculture is applied in USA and Europe and have shown great interest because of its approach to the natural processes and their economic, social, and ecological benefits.

 

About the Autor

Joao Paulo Fidalgo Carvalho is a professor of Silviculture and Dendrology at the University Tras os Montes Alto Douro, Vila Real. He has a PhD in Silviculture and made a Post-Doc on the same subject in USA as a Fulbright Scholar (USDA Forest Service SRS and North Carolina State University). He has been working on close-to-nature in several countries, after its first contact in Germany (1996). Delegate member of the silviculture association Pro Silva Europe.

Workshop Portugal – Galicia / Close-to-Nature Silviculture

On Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st. a workshop was held in Galicia hosted by CFEA Lourizan, Pontevedra, which for the first time brought togehter Pro Silva participants from Portugal and Spain like Joao Carvalho, and Jesus Gartitacelaya.

Pro Silva goes to Brazil

João Paulo Fidalgo Carvalho, our representative from Portugal  was in Brasil, invited to the X Symposium on Forest Science (X Simpósio Brasileiro de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Florestais), organised by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), 13-15 June .

He presented 'Close to Nature Silviculture as an Adaptive Silviculture' (in Portuguese 'A silvicultura próxima da natureza como uma silvicultura adaptativa'). He has been working with the Brazilian collegues these days.

Close to Nature Silviculture as an Adaptive Silviculture

Abstract / Short Note

João Paulo Fidalgo Carvalho, Dep. Forestry, University Tras-os-Montes Alto Douro, Vila Real.

Silviculture has been facing ecologic, economic and social challenges, including the scenarios of climate change. It has been required a sustainable silviculture that considers these different aspects, including the functioning and the resilience of the forest ecosystem. The main characteristics of the close to nature silviculture were presented, including multifunctionality, economic profitability and adaptive capability. The maintenance of the forest cover insures the ecosystem functioning and a continuous provision of goods and services. Allows better conditions for natural regeneration and adaptation in a continuous way, which is particularly important in more difficult and changing environmental conditions.

 

 

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