The Forum for the Sustainability of the Andalusian Eucalyptus has been created in Huelva
- In Huelva environmentalists, authorities, and Ence promote a consensus for sustainable management of Andalusian eucalypti
- The Forum is open to other stakeholders in sustainable forest management, and includes representatives of the Regional Autonomous Government of Andalusia, the Fuegos Nunca Más Platform, Greenpeace, Tragsa, Ence, the Universidad de Huelva, and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
- Management of terraced areas, the role of forestry in natural areas and eucalyptus regulations are some of the main lines of work in the forum.
15 February 2013.- The Forum for the Sustainability of the Andalusian Eucalyptus was created in Huelva in order to achieve the necessary consensus between administrations, environmentalists, and companies to promote sustainable management of Andalusian eucalyptus plantations and support the development of a competitive, sustainable Andalusian forestry sector that generates wealth and employment.
As well as Ence, the Forum includes representatives of the Regional Autonomous Government of Andalusia, Tragsa, the Universidad de Huelva, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, the Fuegos Nunca Más (No More Fires) Platform, and Greenpeace. It was created in Huelva and is open to other social agents that seek to base the development of sustainable forestry management in dialogue and consensus.
The Forum is the result of the successful Working Group that was constituted in September 2011 to launch the dialogue between Ence, environmentalists, and universities on some of the topics posited by more than 20 environmental organisations in the document entitled “The problem of eucalyptus plantations” (El problema de las plantaciones de eucalipto).
The Working Group “Forestry Management in Terraced Areas”, now the Monitoring Commission in the Forum, summarised its conclusions in the final document that describes the measures, recommendations, and research proposals to make terrace management sustainable. This document has been accepted and implemented by Ence in its operations as a company action plan.
The new lines of work that are already being developed by commissions within the Forum for the Sustainability of the Andalusian Eucalyptus include the regulation of Andalusian eucalypti, the role of forestry in protected natural areas, and the description of the impact of terraces, among other social and environmental topics such as the study of visual impact, management of biodiversity in plantations, and the involvement of local communities near the plantations.
For Ence, this Forum is a historic opportunity to put an end to the conflictive nature of eucalyptus plantations and promote a strategic economic sector for economic development and generation of jobs in Andalusia, particularly now that the use of biomass as a renewable energy source is such an opportunity for the region.
