News

• The “SilPas” tool identifies areas where extensive livestock farming can act as a natural firebreak
• The device has been tested in the Prades Mountains and could be extended to the entire Catalan territory.
• The project is being developed within the framework of the European LIFE “AgroForAdapt” program

For decades, the gradual abandonment of extensive livestock farming has transformed the Mediterranean forest landscape. The loss of the agroforestry mosaic, the expansion of dense vegetation, and the open spaces between them have increased the vulnerability of large rural areas to major forest fires, especially in the context of climate transition.

To address this situation, Catalonia is now incorporating a new territorial planning tool that promotes active landscape management and the revitalization of silvopastoral systems . This tool, called “SilPas,” is a digital system developed by the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC) that identifies areas where grazing can be most effective, viable, and strategic for reducing fire risk and improving landscape management.

How does it work?

“SilPas” was created as a decision-support tool for land administrations and managers, with the aim of prioritizing forest areas where extensive grazing can provide the greatest environmental and productive benefits. Its key elements are:

1. The use of multi-criteria analysis and geographic information systems (GIS) based on public mapping.

2. The combination of different variables such as the slope of the terrain, the connectivity of pastures, changes in land use and the presence of active livestock farming.

3. The generation of comparable priority maps between zones.

4. The possibility of adapting the results according to the type of livestock (goats, sheep, cattle or horses).

This approach allows for better targeting of public resources and a shift from isolated actions to a more strategic territorial planning.

Pilot test

The first application of “SilPas” has been developed in the Prades Mountains (Tarragona) , an area particularly vulnerable to large forest fires. The results have confirmed its usefulness in identifying priority areas and comparing management scenarios according to objectives and livestock type.

Thanks to the use of these cartographic bases, the tool is designed to extend to the entire Catalan territory and be made available to the administrations through an interactive viewer, facilitating its integration into intermediate forest planning.

Furthermore, “SilPas” is part of the European project “ LIFE AgroForAdapt ” , which promotes agroforestry systems as a key instrument for adaptation to climate change in Mediterranean landscapes.