• The international conference of the Interreg Sudoe SustForest Plus project "The Resinero: The Future of a Trade" achieves great progress in the resin sector.
• In addition to the achievement in associationism, the conference saw the creation of three Operational Groups in the area of resin extraction: ResinLab, Acrema and Resinex.

Proof of its relevance and importance are the international conferences " El Resinero: The Future of a Trade," which took place in Soria from October 4 to 5, 2021, thanks to the Interreg Sudoe SustForest Plus project. The conference brought together the main stakeholders involved in the development of the resin resource as a factor in job creation and economic revitalization in the region, in addition to the opportunity this product offers as a natural resource for sustainable management in rural areas.

The workshops discussed work related to resin production productivity and concluded the first association of resin owners created in Spain. New resin production projects initiated by the ResinLab, Resinex, and Acrema Operational Groups were also presented.

Advances in the resin extraction trade

The conference considered that the four pillars that define the future of resin exploitation are:

1. The productivity of the resin trade

A socio-labor study presented at the conference concludes that resin collectors are a diverse group, but they all share a common perception of the hardship of their work and, nevertheless, their lack of social recognition. Thus, despite the low pay for the activity, which is the main discontent of this group, the trade is important for their families' income. Hence, all the research presented seeks to take advantage of the opportunities for decarbonizing the economy and the rise of the bioeconomy as a factor in increasing the productivity of the trade.

2. Associationism

• The Segovia Forestry Association (ASFOSE ) presented the first group of owners for the management of resin extraction, a unique model to date that presents itself as a tool with great potential in areas where forest ownership is in small, private hands.
• Likewise, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge outlined the actions of the plan for the socioeconomic activation of the forestry sector in the area of natural resins, promoting associations and cooperatives, encouraging training for all stakeholders, and working toward legal and fiscal recognition of resin producers.
• The European Resin Territories Network (ERTN) and the European Resin Territories Strategy were also presented. These are two key initiatives within the SustForest Plus project, which aim to bring together entities for the coordinated management and defense of resin interests. TheERTN aims to be the leading organization for the resin sector at the European level, linked to all stakeholders in the value chain and recognized as a legitimate interlocutor.

3. Research into resin stimulants

The results obtained by the Polytechnic University of Madrid on new stimulants to optimize resin production in trees were presented. The study highlights the usefulness of microresination techniques for testing new formulations.

4. New projects

Three projects were presented that will continue innovation in the resin sector, and which are already operating as Operational Groups :

• The GO Resinlab (Castilla La Mancha, Castilla y León, and Extremadura) aims to generate new models for resin professionalization, develop different extraction methodologies, and implement actions to improve product transparency and traceability.
• The GO ACREMA (Galicia, Asturias, and Castile and León) project seeks to improve the productivity of Pinus pinaster and Pinus radiata stands by integrating innovative resin extraction methods to produce high-value bioproducts.
• GO RESINEX (Extremadura), which aims to transfer knowledge, professionalize, and innovate in the Extremadura resin sector.

About the SustForest Plus project

The SustForest Plus SOE2/P5/E0598 project “Strategy and collaboration networks for multifunctionality, conservation and employment in the territory of Southern Europe through resin extraction” is being developed from 2018 to 2021, is co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe Programme through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union, and aims to improve joint management methods for the territory's natural resin sources as a strategic and preferential resource for industry, job creation and the rational use of natural resources.

SustForest Plus is an initiative driven by key players in the natural resin value chain in Spain, France, and Portugal to boost the sector's economic activity.

The goal is to invest in resin as one of the sectors of the bioeconomy , hence the support from the National Rural Development Program of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food until 2025, with nearly 30 million euros distributed across three pillars focused on promoting resin extraction, strengthening the industry and differentiating natural resins.