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A building that paves the way: the case of the Forestry Hub
Bioproducts from Mediterranean forest biomass
Association of Truffle Producers of Catalonia
SAMBUCUS Cooperative
Wood and Innovation: the Transformative Force of the PRISMA Project
Soriguera: from agroforestry mosaic to resilient landscape
Recovery of Forests with MALWA Machinery
Recovery of Forests
with MALWA Machinery
The excellent properties of Mediterranean wood species —such as Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis), black pine (Pinus nigra) or Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)— are often underestimated, as is the potential of the dense young stands that dominate many landscapes. Many of these forests frequently remain unmanaged because operations are not economically profitable: costs are high and returns are slow. To address this challenge, MALWA machinery has been introduced. It is lighter, smaller and more agile than conventional forestry equipment, enabling work on slopes and in shrub‑dominated areas. These characteristics make it possible to intervene in forest sectors that were previously difficult or nearly impossible to manage.
Young stands can evolve into productive and sustainable adult forests if the right silviculture and adapted mechanisation are applied. This is where the MALWA machine comes in: a compact harvester capable of working in dense forests and fragile soils, reducing costs and maximising wood harvesting.
Targeted interventions
Young stands often grow under challenging conditions: high tree density, competition for light and water, and poorly developed soils. Through targeted interventions, forest managers and silviculturists aim to achieve:
The revolution of
compact mechanization
Silvicultural work in young forests has always been difficult. Large harvesters, designed for big‑diameter trees, are inefficient in dense, small‑diameter stands: they move poorly, damage the soil and cannot access many areas.
This is where the MALWA 560C Combi compact machine offers an innovative solution. Designed for small‑ and medium‑diameter forests, it provides versatility and efficiency:
LogMax 928 head: handles small and medium diameters with precision, improving final product quality.
Main advantages
Cost reduction:
demonstrations show that costs in young stands can be cut by more than half compared to manual work.
Lower environmental impact:
size and precision protect soil and future stands.
Productivity gains:
especially in pre‑commercial thinning and wildfire‑prevention work.
Flexibility:
easy transport and operation in steep or irregular terrain.
Practical demonstrations
Demonstrations with compact MALWA machinery have shown how young, hard‑to‑manage forests can become safer, more productive and more useful for the bioeconomy. Two practical trials were carried out in Odèn and Viladecavalls:
Odèn (Scots pine)
Block 1: Larger diameter and lower density. Productivity was 2.3 m³ per hour, with a cost per cubic meter of €38, which indicates that it generates economic benefits.
Block 2: Smaller, denser trees, productivity was low (1.79 m³/h), and the unit cost increased (€50/m³).
Even with lower productivity, mechanisation reduced the need for subsidies to one third of what would be required for manual labour, making management viable in difficult areas.
Viladecavalls (post‑fire regenerated Aleppo pine)
Block 1: Stand with medium diameter trees and moderate density. Mechanization reduced the cost per hectare from €4,000 to €1,735, with a productivity of 2.6 m³/h and utilization of harvested wood. The treatment was viable without subsidies.
Block 2: Stand with smaller and denser trees. Productivity was low (1.6 m³/h) and unit cost was high (54 €/m³). Still, mechanised work reduced costs by around 50% compared to manual work.
Block 3: Very dense stand, small diameters. Use of boom corridors allowed efficient work in difficult conditions, improving productivity and intervention quality without harming selected trees.
The value of
demonstrations
• Young forests can be safely and efficiently managed, even in hard‑to‑access areas.
• Soil impact and damage to future stand structure are minimised.
• Forest resilience to fire and drought improves
• Harvested wood can be used, enabling economically viable management and contributing to the local bioeconomy
A future for
young forests
Demonstrations using compact MALWA machinery show that it is possible to intervene in forests that are currently not economically viable for management. This capability accelerates the transition towards healthier, more productive stands, with positive economic and environmental effects.
This process helps advance forest maturity, encouraging the presence of larger and older trees that are structurally more diverse and ecologically more stable, and therefore better able to provide a wider range of high-quality ecosystem services to the territory. Treated forests become:
More resilient, better withstanding drought, pests and fire
Recovering and efficiently managing young forests requires combining three key factors:
This combination of genetic improvement, silviculture, and mechanisation ensures more productive Aleppo pine forests that are resilient to climate change, useful for the bioeconomy, and capable of delivering multiple ecosystem services over the long term.
