Rosa Romero: «Our forests guarantee sustainable life»
The use of forests provides humanity with many economic benefits, such as wood and forest products, which are closely linked to areas such as construction, furniture, carpentry and paper. Thus, according to the latest Annual Report of the Forest-Industry Chain prepared by the University of Vigo, the approximate economic value of Galicia's wooded areas is some 43 billion euros. A figure that forcefully evidences this reality.
However, the forests are home to an infinite number of resources within their boundaries, the use of which often goes unnoticed. The so-called complementary productions, such as beekeeping, extensive livestock farming or mycology, are articulated as key elements of the efficient, profitable and sustainable exploitation of forest ecosystems.
Similarly, we must not forget the environmental, social and cultural benefits that forests provide to the population as a whole: they are fundamental in capturing CO2 - thus helping to mitigate climate change - regulating the climate - maintaining air humidity and reducing temperature - protecting the soil, preventing erosion, purifying water - filtering and storing it, guaranteeing its quality and healthiness- and they are one of the greatest reservoirs of biodiversity on our planet - including 80% of terrestrial species.
Promoting all these potentials of the forest and valuing a broader concept of Forestry Engineering are some of the pillars on which the research and teaching work of our interviewee today, Rosa Romero Franco, is based.
Rosa Romero is, among many other things, a professor in the Plant Production department of the Campus Terra, a member of the AGROFORECOL group, and, for almost three years now, the director of the Higher Polytechnic Engineering School (EPSE), becoming the first woman to hold this position.
Her consolidated career spans more than 30 years, marked by a deep passion and dedication for the plant kingdom, which is directly transferred to her teaching, dissemination and management activities. And we also hope that this brief conversation does its justice.
-Forestry Engineering covers a wide range of studies and applications. What aspects of this discipline do you find fascinating, and what was your main motivation for dedicating yourself to this field?
-The Degree in Forestry Engineering and the Master's Degree in Forestry Engineering, taught at the EPSE, cover a large number of aspects that are essential for the economic and social development of people and also contribute to responding to some of the great challenges facing humanity today, such as climate change, desertification, water regulation, the maintenance of biodiversity, the fixation of atmospheric CO2 or the protection of soil against erosion. However, many aspects that I find extremely attractive are studied in these, although my teaching focuses on the study of the flora and vegetation of forests and forest plantations (Forest Botany) and also on non-timber forest products (Complementary Forest Productions).
I started as a teacher of Forest Botany, and I did so knowing that I had to try to teach students that this was a fundamental subject for any forestry or forest engineer since you cannot act on what you do not know. I also emphasize to them that what I explain in the classroom is a small part of General Botany: I focus on the most important plants in the forestry field (mainly trees and shrubs) but without forgetting those that have some kind of environmental protection.
In order to do the typical work of a forestry engineer, such as environmental management and planning, to understand the economic and non-economic exploitation of a mountain area, or to work in risk prevention, such as fire prevention, it is necessary to have prior knowledge of plants and their morphological and ecological characteristics. Only in this way can the best decisions be made.
I always tell my students that forest botany is to an engineer what a skeleton is to an orthopedic surgeon. I try to pass on to my students my passion for knowledge of native flora. I try to convey to them that interventions in the natural environment must be respectful of the environment itself and its components, and for that, they have to have an in-depth knowledge of all its elements.
-A central part of your research corpus focuses on plants such as Arnica montana, which is very valuable for industries such as the pharmaceutical industry. What particular characteristics make this species such a useful resource, and what challenges does its conservation face?
-Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, Arnica montana is very useful in the treatment of injuries, bumps and bruises. It is also in high demand by the pharmaceutical industry, which obtains most of its supply from the natural environment, with Galicia being a major supplier of this raw material.
This demand, which is growing along with the change in the use of areas of the territory where it appears naturally, has led to the decline or even disappearance of many populations in the areas of distribution, including Galicia.
In fact, it is included in the EU Habitats Directive, indicating that the member countries where it appears must take measures to regulate its harvesting in order to prevent its disappearance. In Galicia, on the other hand, nothing is being done with regard to this harvest regulation.
Our research allowed us to identify two different chemotypes, one of them more abundant than the other, which is also related to the genetic variability of the species. This type of research is very important, both from an economic point of view and in terms of biodiversity conservation.
-In one of your latest works, you identified different genetic lineages in this species. What implications does this finding have for conservation and its use in the pharmaceutical industry?
-The presence of different genetic groups is of great interest in the conservation of the species because many of them are endemic, and local adaptations can be found.
Furthermore, these genetic groups show an association with the two chemotypes identified in the species, and the results found represent a possible genetic basis in this biochemical differentiation (to be confirmed in common garden analysis).
-Medicinal and aromatic plants are a resource with economic potential but require conservation efforts. How can their sustainable use be balanced with the protection of their natural populations?
-First of all, it is necessary to carry out an exhaustive study of the distribution and size of the populations, their degree of genetic differentiation and the ecological environments in which they appear. Also, of the risks and threats that act on them. Then, determine the level of exploitation that they can withstand and, finally, legislate to guarantee the medium and long-term continuity of the populations.
To guarantee the survival of medicinal plant species and populations, studies can also be carried out on the possible domestication of some of these natural populations, and the profitability of their cultivation can be determined. In fact, at the EPSE, we have already carried out cultivation studies with arnica with good results in terms of productivity and chemical yield.
-Your research into complementary forest production highlights the importance of exploring products other than wood. Which emerging resources do you think have the greatest potential in the context of the bioeconomy and sustainability?
-In general, I think that when society thinks about forestry, it only has timber exploitation in mind, while complementary production is largely forgotten. In fact, these are not mutually exclusive because, at the same time as we plant trees to obtain timber, we can complement this with other uses.
In the category of complementary production, the so-called non-timber forest products include not only those that appear naturally but also their cultivation, which is key to avoiding over-exploitation (as unfortunate as that may be). Therefore, as complementary productions, in addition to medicinal plants, there are mushrooms, honey, cork oak bark, small fruits, elderberries... Our forests have great potential from all points of view, but they must be managed efficiently, with regulations promoted by the competent administration in order to maintain the resources.
For example, my colleagues in the department, Antonio Rigueiro and Roque Rodríguez, worked on the valuation of chestnut groves and concluded that it is the most profitable forest plantation per hectare if its fruit, the chestnut, as well as its firewood and mushrooms, are used.
-You also worked on the evaluation of alternative methods for controlling vegetation on roadsides, especially invasive species. Are there innovative solutions to replace traditional methods and thus minimize environmental impact?
-I collaborated a little in that field, and the alternative methods tested (salt, vinegar) were as effective as herbicides in the short term. From my point of view, in large areas, I think that the most advisable thing is to clear the vegetation on the sides of the roads so that it doesn't pose a danger to the environment.
-Agroforestry has been gaining prominence in the European Common Agricultural Policy, as it could not be otherwise. How do you see its evolution, and what opportunities does it offer for sustainable land management?
-It is an interesting option, both economically and socially and also environmentally. But I think that the future of forests (and all the possible uses for them) lies in the comprehensive management of their resources. I am not in favour of “fads.” Universities, technicians trained in engineering schools and administrations would have to go hand in hand if we really want the Earth and the Territory to be resilient and sustainable, as well as economically profitable and socially welcoming.
-Forestry is constantly adapting to climate change. From your experience, what strategies do you consider key to mitigating its effects on forest ecosystems?
-Climate change affects different parts of the world in various ways. In the Iberian Peninsula, its effects are expected to be uneven, much less intense in the far north, where we are, than in the rest. Taking these differences into account and what we know about the environmental changes that occurred in recent geological eras in the NW, the native species of our territory would be perfectly adapted to the increase in temperatures and the variations in rainfall that may be experienced; moreover, we know that they function as very effective firebreaks.
In this scenario, the role of native species takes on special relevance in the planning of forestry exploitation and in the prevention and control of fire waves. It is a question of taking advantage of the opportunities offered by these species and taking them into account in the planning of land use, promoting their use in plantations and their distribution in a mosaic pattern.
In this way, the forests would be less prone to suffer fires of great magnitude and intensity, favouring the resilience of the ecosystems, the conservation of the soil and the regulation of the water cycle. At the same time, the use of native tree species would have a positive effect on the maintenance of certain elements that form part of the biodiversity that are currently at risk of disappearing.
-Finally, we couldn't fail to ask you about the role of women in today's society. Forestry engineering and scientific research have traditionally been fields with lower female representation. What was your experience as a woman in this field, and what advice would you give to young women who want to pursue these fields of knowledge?
-It is true that engineering, in general, is a male-dominated profession. Forestry Engineering is no exception: in our classrooms, women make up less than 30% of the total number of enrolled students.
There are several reasons for this, such as gender stereotypes, which are still deeply embedded in today's society (women are better in all fields related to art, care and teaching, while men are better in everything related to the fields of technology and engineering) or the lack of female role models in the field of engineering in primary and secondary school textbooks.
A lot of education is needed to reverse this situation. At the EPSE, we try every year, promoting workshops led by female engineers from our centre in primary schools, to bring tangible examples to girls so that they see that being an engineer is not a question of gender.
I have to say that the research I have carried out throughout my life has been very rewarding. The efforts have paid off, and it is also true that I have always been supported by researchers without whom it would be impossible to carry out the work.
I also think it isn't easy to advise since a research career has to be seen as a long-distance race. I understand that when a young woman finishes her university studies and easily gets a paid job (as is the case with engineering graduates today), she chooses to join the world of work.
But it is true that today, through the Campus Terra Stock Exchanges for research initiation, young women have the opportunity to begin research studies in the different groups that exist in the school and to see if that world interests them. From my experience, I would encourage them to do so.
The presence of women is also essential in technical research, not only for historical justice and helping to combat gender inequality but also because it has been shown that research groups made up of men and women produce more innovative and efficient solutions. Diversity ensures that technological advances benefit society as a whole.