February 28, 2025 – The Galician projects selected by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) held a meeting last Wednesday, February 26, at the Vicente Vidal de Leiro Cultural Center in Rianxo. This meeting represented a unique opportunity to strengthen collaboration and synergies among the selected projects, with the aim of promoting sustainable management in the ‘montes’ of Galicia.

The organizations have been working in collaboration with local communities for years, developing models that contribute to environmental preservation and rural development in Galicia. The event aimed to share the work process behind these innovative initiatives, offering an in-depth look at these projects that are promoting the transformation of ‘monte’ management in Galicia. It provided an informal space for dialogue, and possible collaborations on future projects were explored.

The event program began at 9:30 a.m. with an institutional welcome by representatives of the Rianxo City Council. The participating projects then presented their progress, objectives, and impact on the region. The selected projects are:

• Barbanza Ecosocial Laboratory: Promotes a transition toward environmental sustainability and increased resilience in the territorial management of the Barbanza ‘montes’.
• Caprif-CC: Works to strengthen the capacities of rural communities through training, awareness-raising, the implementation of new governance systems, and the development of innovative pilot projects.
• Vigo Peri-Urban Common Land Ecosystem Services: Addresses the challenge of harmonizing the social and economic use of ‘montes’ to ensure their conservation.
• RuraltXa: Promotes the rural bioeconomy by revaluing extensive mountain livestock farming, linking it to biodiversity conservation.

The Laboratory’s partner organizations also participated: Fundación RIA, the project’s coordinator, the Plataforma pola Defensa do Monte, the University of Santiago de Compostela (through CISPAC and the Histagra research group), Montescola, and the Rianxo City Council.

The day included a field trip to learn about the Barbanza Ecosocial Laboratory’s activities, where experiences, best practices and results were shared, all promoting knowledge exchange.