Nodfyr Portugal, at the invitation of the Sociedade Galega de Pastos e Forraxes, was present through its founding member Henrique Mira Godinho, a member of the association's board, at the III Xornadas ‘Actividades agrogandeiras fronte aos incendios na montaña’, which took place in Quiroga, Lugo, on 16 and 17 November.
The conference was organised with the collaboration of the Municipality of Quiroga, the Vice-presidency of Lugo, AGACAL, the Galician Food Quality Agency, and the Serra do Caurel Rural Development Association. Due to the large turnout of livestock farmers, the focus of the presentation was on the use of pastoral fire as an ecological tool and the production of quality pasture for livestock.
The presentation began with an introduction to traditional practices in the use of fire: agriculture, forestry, slash and burn, pastoralism, hunting, livestock accessibility and charcoal production through pyrolysis.
The work of the LIFE Maronesa project was highlighted as an example of practices using pyro-herbivory for climate adaptation and mitigation and carbon sequestration. Prescribed fire preserves the soil, organic matter, and grass rhizomes, at the same time it fertilises the soil surface and makes the vegetation regenerate more productively.
Prescribed fire allows the release of small amounts of carbon (over 3/4 years) and increases soil productivity and sequestration potential with the complementary action of herbivores. It reduces the severity and frequency of summer fires: less carbon is released during the summer fire season, vegetation regeneration is faster and the probability of soil consumption.
At the end, the participants were introduced to Nodfyr Portugal, the Association's objectives, and the offers available to members. The "Taking Care of Fire in Europe" Manifesto and the Association's contact details for future collaborations in Galicia were also shared.
After the presentation, doubts, and questions from the audience, there was time for a debate on the legislation on prescribed burning in Galicia. The 'gandeiros' warned about the loss of autonomy and consequently, the lack of management of the marginal lands of the Galician mountains, used for grazing their cattle.
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