INTERREG-SUDOE Socialforest Project: Comprehensive fight against the impact of climate change in forest areas of the SUDOE region

Faced with the growing environmental and socioeconomic challenges threatening the forests of southwestern Europe, the SocialForest project stands out as a pioneering and collaborative initiative. Funded by the European Interreg Territorial Cooperation Programme, SocialForest aims to adapt the forests of Spain, France, and Portugal to climate change, strengthen their resilience to natural disasters, and contribute to the development of the rural areas where they are located.

Thanks to satellite monitoring, it has already been possible to identify the degree of response of some of these forests to events such as increased temperatures, prolonged periods of drought, etc., characteristic of the current climate change scenario. The initial results have been particularly interesting, demonstrating that a well-managed forest is significantly more resilient than one that is not.

The implications of this study are highly significant because, on the one hand, they refute approaches to forest conservation based on inaction and, on the other, they highlight for society as a whole (landowners, managers, government agencies, businesses, and citizens) the enormous challenge of how to effectively implement forest management in a region like southwestern Europe, where it is inadequate and where many forests suffer from serious neglect due to rural exodus. Indeed, ensuring the long-term sustainability of forest management and promoting the replicability of the results achieved is one of SocialForest's objectives.

To this end, throughout 2025 and 2026, SocialForest will launch a series of training initiatives, including workshops, seminars, and courses designed to enhance the skills of forest owners and managers, as well as other key stakeholders. SocialForest is closely aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal. Through its integrated forest management strategy, the project directly contributes to habitat and species conservation, biodiversity protection, the sustainable use of natural resources, the promotion of the bioeconomy, and strengthening the adaptation of forest management to climate change.