The 10th Baskegur Wood Week, which runs from today until 20 October, will feature a series of virtual visits, professional conferences and informative activities.

• A decade of promoting the sector in the Basque Country.
• The Egurtek International Forum on Wooden Architecture and Construction will be held at the BEC.
• Amaia Barredo: “It is crucial to attract younger professionals to the sector, particularly regarding the digital and ecological transitions occurring in forest-based activities.”

Bilboa, 14 10 2024

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Baskegur Wood Week, and the Basque Wood Association is commemorating it with the most ambitious activities programme in recent years. The aim is to bring the reality of the forestry and wood sector closer to society, highlight the sustainable management of forests, and promote wood as a material, especially in design and architecture. The event will take place from today until 20 October at various locations across the three territories.

Amaia Barredo, Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries of the Basque Government, believes “it is crucial to attract young men and women professionals to the sector, particularly regarding the digital and ecological transitions occurring in forest-based activities. It is essential to invest in the sector and along its entire value chain.”

“The Lehiatu programme is in place to help with investments in the processing, marketing and development of forestry products. In the 2024-2025 financial year, 17 million euros has been allocated for the funding of all aid included in the LEHIΑTU INVERSION 2024 programme”, indicated by Barredo.

“From Lakua, we are pleased to announce the introduction of a series of digital solutions designed to enhance the competitiveness of the food and wood supply chains. The total budget for both objectives is 2,500,000 euros. I am confident that the Basque Country has the potential to become a leading international example in timber construction, sawing and plantation work, as well as in forest management in a way that is respectful of the environment and sustainable. The 10th Timber Week will establish a new and positive pace for the many steps that lie ahead. All the above will be discussed at the Baskegur Wood Week and in the Egurraren Herria, Basque Country campaign, which will be publicised in the media”, added Amaia Barredo.

This annual event, which serves as a networking opportunity for professionals across the entire value chain, will also showcase Baskegur's contributions to various local and international projects. The event aims to raise awareness about the importance of the Basque Country's continued investment in this sector, which drives economic growth and sustainability.

Oskar Azkarate, director of Baskegur, believes that “if ownership of the majority of forests in the Basque Country were to be transferred to management bodies, the forests would be better protected and conserved and would not be abandoned.” Azkarate emphasises: “In addition to the lack of a natural resource, society would lose the ecosystem benefits resulting from their work, such as carbon fixation to combat climate change, the recreational use of forests or their role in the water cycle.”

In a similar vein, the Baskegur Wood Week will showcase the story of three proprietors who have elected to uphold the family tradition and assume responsibility for the forests. The presentation will include a case study for each of the three territories of the Basque Autonomous Community. This will provide insight into the commitment of forest ownership to territorial management.

In accordance with the sector's value chain, the companies associated with Basolanak (which forms part of Baskegur) are responsible for providing the requisite care in the bush. It is recommended that plantations undergo thinning to select the trees with the most favourable growth habit, which should then be cut down at the appropriate time. Magalhaes Eiras will present its case study.

The company is a family-run business with modern machinery, ensuring professional and safe work practices.

Professionals’ Week

Since its inception, the Basque Wood Week, organised by Baskegur, has aimed to raise awareness among professionals of the importance of promoting the use of wood, particularly wood from our forests, which is also managed in accordance with sustainability criteria, such as those included in the PEFC certification.

The 10th edition of Wood Week will take place in 2024, coinciding with the Architecture and Wooden Construction Forum at BEC. The Basque Wood Association played a pivotal role in the establishment of Egurtek, which has become a leading forum for wood construction discourse in Southern Europe.

Baskegur plays an active role in the Egurtek technical advisory committee, which features prominent figures in architecture and timber construction. Additionally, Baskegur oversees the organisation of the technical seminars scheduled to take place over the two-day congress, commencing on Wednesday, 16 and concluding on Thursday, 17 October.

The event will be held in four sessions, with gatherings in the morning and in the afternoon. The central theme of the event on Wednesday morning will be the “Sustainable Forest Bioeconomy in the Basque Country”. A practical workshop entitled Eman Egurra will be held there in collaboration with the Basque Design Association EIDE.  The second day of Egurtek, Thursday 17 October, will analyse the steps taken by the Basque forestry sector in terms of digitalisation. In the afternoon, a panel of renowned professionals will be discussing the topic of acoustics in wooden buildings.

Awareness-raising among active professionals to promote wood is complemented by actions aimed at students being trained at Basque universities to become tomorrow’s engineers and architects. The prize for the best final master's project on wood carried out in collaboration with the UPV/EHU Bilbao School of Engineering will be awarded on Tuesday 15 October in a ceremony that will take place at the university at 18:00.

Innovating

The Wood Week provides an ideal platform for Baskegur to disseminate information about the strategic projects in which it participates with other leading agents in the sector at the European level. Oskar Azkarate's interview with the Finnish education expert Auli Leskinen will provide a forum for discussing the work carried out by the sector to adapt vocational training studies in the forestry-wood branch to the needs of Basque companies.

The Prisma project, which aims to enhance forest value chains and promote a sustainable bioeconomy in mountain areas, will also be presented. Furthermore, the Syntetic initiative, which seeks to ensure the wood’s traceability from the forest to the end consumer, will be showcased.

Baskegur technicians, with expertise in forestry, will conduct field days for these initiatives and for Go Coníferas +, which identifies conifer species that are attractive to forest owners and the industry, and that can thrive in the face of climate change.

The presentation will also include practical examples of companies in the forestry-wood sector demonstrating a commitment to prevention and occupational safety. It will also show how Baskegur is working with Osalan in this area in the primary sector as part of the Euskadi-Preben strategy.

On Sunday 20 October, the 10th Wood Week will close with a free family activity that will allow visitors to discover the river carpentry work being carried out at the Itsasmuseum in Bilbao, and in particular the restoration of the wooden fishing boat ‘Nuevo Antxustegi', which is being repaired in the museum's dry dock thanks to the collaboration of Baskegur.

Please be advised that all information regarding Wood Week, along with photographs and videos of the various events, will be made available daily at www.baskegur.eus

Communication Campaign

The Egurraren Herria Bosque Country initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of forest protection and conservation to obtain bio-based products that guarantee a green and eco-efficient future in the Basque Country.

A total of six people, four professionals from the sector and two members of the public, will oversee the communication of the messages from their respective points of view.

The Department of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries of the Basque Government, HAZI Fundazioa, the three Provincial Councils of Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Alava and the forestry and timber sector of the Basque Country have joined forces to promote a communication campaign that seeks to raise public awareness of the importance of sustainably managing our forests, avoiding abandonment and promoting a circular forest economy and the development of products that make us less dependent on petroleum derivatives.

PEFC Euskadi was established over 20 years ago with the objective of certifying the sustainable management of Basque forests. The initiative was spearheaded by institutions, industry and universities with the dual aim of ensuring economic viability and social responsibility.

Basque Country, Forest Territory

The communication campaign, which will be disseminated mainly through social networks, radio and online media, will primarily feature the slogan 'Egurraren Herria Bosque Country'. The Basque Country boasts one of the highest ratios of wooded surface area in the European Union, with 55% of its total area covered by forests. A significant proportion of the forests are privately owned and managed by their respective owners, with the objective of either harvesting timber or conserving the natural environment.

The wood processing sector in the Basque Country is home to important companies, many of which use local km0 wood, representing over 70% of their total supply.

Forestry is a compatible and beneficial activity for the protection of natural resources and biodiversity. It also provides 19,000 jobs in the Basque Country, both directly and indirectly. The benefits of managed forests for society are numerous. They help to prevent fires and provide excellent ecosystem services, including acting as carbon sinks, improving water management, enhancing the countryside and creating space for leisure and sporting activities.

6 People, 6 Stories

The campaign features four characters, representing the value chain of the Basque forestry and wood sector, and two perspectives from the public. Six case studies demonstrate the reality of a key sector in the Basque strategy to promote the green economy: “The future grows here”: María José Zubillaga is a forest owner with a strong commitment to the responsible stewardship of the forests that have been passed down from generation to generation within the family. María José represents thousands of owners who are integral to the value chain, and without whom the sector would not be able to survive.

“Managed Forests, Safer Forests”: Iñaki Garmendia is a forest ranger. Their work in public administration ensures that the economic management of the forest is carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations, with due consideration for the environment, biodiversity and the risk of fires. The Basque Country now has the largest forest area in the last 200 years, thanks to the support of the provincial councils for forest ownership.

“1 felled tree; 6 trees planted”: Alexander Olmos Gil is a forest worker. The work they do is vital for the generation of environmental, social and economic wealth in forests. They need care throughout their lives to grow up healthy. The management plans for the plots indicate the necessary timing for a range of activities, including thinning, the removal of specimens to allow for the growth of others, weeding, and felling. These actions are essential for supplying the industry with local and renewable raw materials.

“Use wood from here, Km0”: Arturo García Arceo is a leading expert in the first transformation of wood in the Basque Country. The facility processes local wood to supply this material to companies that will use it to manufacture furniture, carpentry, and building structures. This contributes to the generation of wealth in the local environment and reduces our reliance on external sources.

“Our wood reduces your CO₂ footprint”: Begoña Herrera is a conscientious individual who is committed to taking personal steps to mitigate climate change. He has elected to reside in a house constructed from locally sourced wood. Substitute one metre (3) of concrete with wood results in a reduction of CO₂ emissions equivalent to those generated by one car over 15,000 km.

“I look after the forests, and they look after me”: Garazi Ayo Larrinaga likews to take a stroll through the forest. She learned to love nature through her family's love of the mountains, and she knows that when she grows up, she wants to help preserve the landscapes she loves so much. She is therefore pursuing a career in forestry engineering. Garazi is keen to assume the role previously held by the men and women of the forest-wood sector, who are responsible for the care and maintenance of our forest ecosystems.

The PEFC Euskadi website (www.pfec.eus) will serve as the central hub for the campaign's content. In a second phase, we plan to implement street outreach in major Basque cities and educational initiatives to engage the broader public with the realities of the Basque forest-wood sector.