• The Task Force aims to improve disease and pest resistance, increase wood production, and develop new fertilization plans.
• The practical results will benefit forest producers, associations and companies to generate greater added value and promote the circular bioeconomy.

More than 60,000 hectares of Asturian forests are covered by Eucalyptus globulus , a species of eucalyptus with significant economic potential. These plantations are primarily used to produce wood for pulp, but they also provide benefits such as soil protection against erosion and carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) sequestration.

That is why the “ Operational Group” was born a year ago Nutrigest : an innovation project to improve eucalyptus forest productivity in Asturias, an innovation group with the following objectives:

1. Contribute to innovations in sustainable eucalyptus cultivation by seeking “ innovative management models on private property.”
2. Adapting eucalyptus trees to a changing environment in terms of climate, diseases, and pests.
3. Generate eucalyptus trees with greater wood production capacity.

Through a series of sustainable forest management web tools , the Group will make its resources and discoveries accessible to forestry owners and companies, forest managers, and the industry.

Forest management and nutrition

There are several individuals of this eucalyptus species that are characterized by greater productivity and are more responsive to the emergence of forest pests and diseases . The Operational Group is currently identifying these individuals to collect genetic material from them to improve the sustainability and productivity of these eucalyptus trees in Asturias.

These objectives converge in two main activities:

1. Select genetic materials from improved individuals: to increase productivity to increase timber productivity and promote adaptation to changing conditions.
2. Building resistance to diseases and pests : through new tools that facilitate understanding of the production of these individuals.

To improve the nutritional management aspect, the team develops new fertilization plans thanks to the waste recovery , thus promoting treatment from circular bioeconomy strategies.

In short, it's about creating tools for forest owners to grow eucalyptus on their own plots in a more productive and sustainable way, thanks to stronger and more adaptable plants and new fertilization strategies. This will enhance this activity for its economic and environmental benefits.

This benefits specific key stakeholders, such as forest owners, associations, and companies, enabling them to promote the circular bioeconomy and become the driving force behind change and profitability of this resource.

Partners and financing

The Nutrigest Operational Group will maintain its activities until September 2025 thanks to the joint action of subsectors that are part of the Asturian forestry value chain: the Association of Forest Owners of Asturias ( PROFOAS ), the Asturian Association of Forestry Entrepreneurs of Wood and Furniture ( ASMADERA ), the energy and cellulose company Ence , the Forestry and Wood Technology Center ( CETEMAS Foundation ) .

The project has a budget of 198,315.08 euros co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development ( EAFRD ), the Principality of Asturias and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food .