Yago Lestido Cardama: «Forest sustainability cannot be improvised: we need to quantify how we manage it»

Yago Lestido Cardama, a pre-doctoral researcher with the Projects and Planning Research Group (PROePLA) at Campus Terra, focuses his research work on the field of sustainable forest management, with a special focus on creating new methodologies that allow us to understand, measure, and compare how forests are actually managed in different production and conservation contexts.

A forestry engineer from Campus Terra at the University of Santiago de Compostela, his thesis focuses on the development of a quantitative index of forest management intensity, a pioneering tool that integrates productive, economic, and time-dedication dimensions, and seeks to open up new possibilities for decision-making in the forestry sector.

Using regional, national, and international silvicultural models, Yago investigates how different management approaches affect ecosystem services, soil behavior, and the carbon capture capacity of forests.

He currently combines this research with teaching across various degree programs, focusing on active methodologies that develop real project management skills.

-An analysis of your curriculum vitae suggests that you may be orienting your professional career towards sustainable forest management. Is this the case, or are there other areas of interest that particularly appeal to you?

-Yes, my research is mainly focused on sustainable forest management, taking into account all the functions forests can serve, from the production of goods and services to the conservation of the natural environment.

-One of the central themes of your thesis is the development of a quantitative index of forest management intensity, an area for which there were hardly any established methodologies. What scientific gaps are you seeking to fill with this index, and what possibilities does it open up for decision-making in the forestry sector?

-The new forest management intensity index aims to accurately quantify the degree of forest management, since forest management is often classified as high or low, but few quantitative tools exist to evaluate these silvicultural intensities and thus be able to compare them.

In addition, this index considers both productive and economic aspects and reflects the time managers take to implement the different management schemes. Therefore, this tool can also be used to support decisions on which silvicultural approach to choose, depending on the economic resources and time available to the forester.

-You work with silvicultural models from both the Xunta de Galicia and at the state level. How does this combination of scales help you when evaluating the effects of different management scenarios?

-The aim of this index is to cover the widest possible range of silvicultural itineraries so that comparisons can be made at a global level. We started by testing it at the regional level, due to the high degree of definition of the Xunta de Galicia models, and then tested it at the national level to increase the range of possibilities, including everything from the management of mature forests for conservation purposes in the Pyrenees to short-rotation poplar plantations for biomass production.

In the future, we intend to test it with silvicultural models used in the northwestern United States.

-You participated in the national CONGESTION project, which focused on the relationship between management intensity and the provision of ecosystem services. What lessons would you highlight about how production, conservation, and sustainability can be balanced?

-One of the noteworthy aspects is that multifunctional models that simulate natural ones and even conservation objectives require a certain level of management.

We can say that the forests we have today in most of the territory require some degree of management to avoid abandonment. Today, it has been well demonstrated that abandonment is a major problem, especially in areas where forest fires pose a significant threat, such as Galicia.

-Part of your research incorporates thermal analysis and calorimetry of soil and organic matter, in collaboration with specialists in soil science. What potential do these tools have for assessing the real impact of forest management on soils?

-In a recent study, we examined the sensitivity of thermal analysis and calorimetry to see how the soil responds to different forestry interventions, such as clearing.

This showed that these actions lead to the loss of organic matter by promoting microbial respiration in the soil, which drives it towards a more oxidative state. This shows that the soil is sensitive to the practices we carry out in the mountains, and that, to make decisions, it is important to understand how forest management affects the edaphic environment.

-You are currently working on lines related to voluntary carbon purchasing in different silvicultural models. How do you see the role of the Galician forestry sector in these purchases, and what scientific challenges remain to be solved?

-The role of the Galician forestry sector is very important, since two-thirds of the territory is forested, and in many places there are high growth rates, which means that significant volumes of CO2 can be captured if forestry models aimed at sequestration are applied.
It is still an emerging market, so many issues remain unresolved. One of the issues that piques our curiosity is the methodology for payments to the promoters of carbon projects.

-You have taught a wide range of degrees—from Forestry Engineering to Robotics and Biochemistry—focusing on project management using the PM2 methodology. How do you think this cross-disciplinary skill will benefit your students' future careers?

-I think these subjects prepare students before they enter the job market, as they do group work that simulates real-life situations in companies regarding project management.

They carry out tasks ranging from defining project scope to drawing up budgets and conducting risk analysis, while learning how companies operate.

-Your classes are eminently practical and dynamic. What role does this active methodology play in the acquisition of skills applied to engineering and research?

-Interactive classes help students develop their skills in a work environment similar to what they will encounter in the working world. Teachers take on a supervisory and monitoring role while providing constant help and feedback.

When they have questions, we try to help them develop problem-solving and decision-making skills to successfully carry out their projects.

-What would you say to a young person about your experience at Campus Terra, both as a student and now as a researcher and teacher?

-As a student, I think Campus Terra offers a very friendly place to study, as in my experience, the peaceful environment and the approachability and knowledge of the teachers helped me to study for my bachelor's and master's degrees.

As a researcher and teacher, I would say that the courses and specializations offered by Campus Terra are strategic for Galicia, as it is a niche for great professionals who play a key role in the development and competitiveness of sectors such as livestock and forestry.

-Looking to the future, and from your point of view, what do you consider to be the major scientific and technical challenges in moving towards more sustainable, quantifiable, and evidence-based forest management?

-I think that one of the problems we have to solve in the forestry sector today is the abandonment of rural areas, which is related to major problems such as fires due to a lack of management.

I think this problem must be addressed by highlighting the opportunities offered by new markets, such as carbon markets, to improve the profitability of forests. Other challenges include integrating climate change, combating emerging pests, and moving towards multifunctional management models.