Challenges to preserve the mature forests of Catalonia and its intangible heritage

The Silene Association, together with the Institució Catalana d’Història Natural (Catalan Institution of Natural History), co-edited the first book dedicated to the most remarkable forests of Catalonia, the most beautiful and oldest: mature woods. The complexity of these exceptional forests has no peak, which is why they are the ones that receive more biodiversity and have more scientific value. For millennia, in the most diverse cultures, ancient forests have been venerated, graced by sacred, enchanted or mysterious places. Modernly it has been confirmed that they also have surprising therapeutic properties.

The work brings together the papers presented at the Second Conference on Mature Woods in Catalonia, which took place in April of 2013 in The Agro-Forest School of Santa Coloma de Farnés, as well as the conclusions that they generated. The book deals with the patrimonial values ​​- natural, cultural and spiritual – of the mature forests of Catalonia, including the value of silence. Its discusses the state and tendencies of the mature forests, their ecological functions, the reasons for their felling, and also the responses that have been driven , from different instances, to identify, study, safeguard and value them. The work provides good examples of forest reserves established to preserve them, and shows the danger they face due to the lack of effective protection. Everyone who is attracted or in love with the magnificent centennial forests and majestic trees will enjoy this book, which includes beuatiful images and evocative poetry.

On Wednesday, March 26, 2014, the book was presented at the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC), Barcelona. Dr. Joandomènec Ros, President of the IEC and also of the Council for the Protection of Nature, made the initial parliament, which was folowed by the interventions of Josep M. Mallarach, Joan Montserrat and Josep Vila, coordinators of the book. The event featured an audiovisual on mature forests prepared by Pau Sanosa and Nieves Callado, members of the Silene Association.