In Tresminas, a land of intense gold mining activity between the first and second centuries AD, the natural resin of maritime pine is the new gold, which, in the form of rosin and turpentine, generates employment, gives income to the commons, and also prevents rural fires.
We are in the land of the Roman Mining Complex of Tresminas, where the Romans explored gold for more than 200 years. However, now, the gold that is extracted is different. The Parish Council of Tresminas, which manages two common lands, and the commoners of two other villages, ceded several hectares of maritime pine forest to a consortium formed by a company in the sector and other partners for the extraction of resin and complementary activities, such as fuel management. The consortium is locally supported by the forestry association Aguiarfloresta. The business, which gives 20 percent of the revenue to local communities, generates employment and also keeps a forest area clean that, for years, was at the mercy of the voracity of fires. Prevention begins with the preparation of the land for the exploitation of the resin. “In the area where we are, we had to reduce the density of pine trees to improve the productivity of each one”, explains André Ferreira, a 22-year-old agronomist, born in the land, who coordinates the exploration of natural
resin in the community pine forest areas of four villages. Next to a maritime pine tree in which the “spout” was opened a few days ago, the first incision or wound was torn in the trunk. “We start at the bottom and work our way up. We can do up to seven renovations a year”, he adds, noting that “if a good practice is done, you can explore the same face for three years”. If the diameter of the trunk allows, another side of the pine tree is cut, and the process is repeated with the same sequence, from bottom to top. “There are pine trees that give resin for six, nine, or even 12 years. It all depends on the diameter”, he clarifies.
The extraction method, contrary to popular belief, “does not harm the tree”. “It may take a few years, but the tree regenerates. Resin does not lead to the death of the pine tree, nor does it affect the value of the wood. In this pine forest, we will be able to remove the resin for years and, in the end, we still have the product here”, explains the technician.
In Tresminas, eight people work full-time, in a rural parish where agricultural and livestock activity predominates. “Three are full-time resin workers, and the other five are
resin workers and sappers, because they manage fuel for a good part of the year”, says André, since “during the winter the pine tree does not produce, because it is in vegetative pause, it is like in fruit trees”. Teresa Magalhães is one of the oldest to work in the forest. She started as a resin worker 12 years ago, but now she supports the team of forest sappers who reconcile their time with the exploitation of resin. “This work can seem heavy, and sometimes it is, but I’m used to it”, recalls the team leader.
Resin sector leveraged by RRP
funds The “liquid gold” that slowly flows into púcaros or bags between the months of March and October after the natural distillation process gives rise to two products: rosin and turpentine. Once transformed, it can be used in glues, varnishes, paints… and even chewing gum.
Portugal, which once had fifty active resin factories, experienced “golden years” of the transformation of this product. “We were once
the second largest producer of resin in the world”, recalls Duarte Marques, who chairs the Forestry and Environmental Association of Vila Pouca de Aguiar (Aguiarfloresta), referring to the 70s and 80s of the last century, with productions in the order of 100 thousand tons/year. “More than that, for reasons of competitiveness, production has dropped a lot”, he continues.
Today, because of climate change, “which has led to the replacement of raw materials with more sustainable alternatives”, Portugal has once again invested in the natural resin sector, one of the three, along with footwear and textiles, supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) in the context of the climate transition.
It is in this context that the RN21 consortium emerges, based at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), led by CoLAB ForestWISE, which covers the entire value chain and focuses on the “transition to a more sustainable economy”. Focused on training and innovation, the project brings together 37 entities, such as resin processing companies, producer organizations, intermunicipal communities, universities, and laboratories, among others.
According to Resipinus – Resin Distillers and Explorers Association, the annual production of resin in Portugal today is around seven thousand tons, which does not reach 10 percent of the industry’s needs. The raw material is imported, above all, from South American countries.
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