Salvaterra de Magos, 2 December 2024 (Mais Ribatejo) – Mais Ribatejo announced the presentation of the results of the resin tapping project carried out in plot 17 of the Escaroupim National Forest, at a session organised by the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) on 5 December, at the Cais da Vala Building auditorium in Salvaterra de Magos.
Genetic conservation of maritime pine
Coordinated by the National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (INIAV), in collaboration with ICNF, the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Centro PINUS and the Faculty of Sciences, the project carried out resin tapping trials on maritime pine clones (Pinus pinaster Ait.) to identify the individuals best suited to producing quality resin.
The results include the submission of the elite maritime pine orchard to the National Catalogue of Basic Materials, which will make seed of high genetic quality available for afforestation. The action is part of the RN21 Integrated Project, dedicated to strengthening the sustainable production of Natural Resin in Portugal.
A forest dedicated to forestry research
In public administration since 1836, the Escaroupim National Forest covers 438 hectares and hosts areas for research, breeding and conservation of genetic resources of species such as maritime pine, stone pine and eucalyptus. It also includes an arboretum created in 1953, with 126 species of eucalyptus.
Experts at the presentation
The session was led by Paula Soares, professor at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, with Rui Pombo, Regional Director for Nature Conservation and Forests of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley, and Isabel Carrasquinho, from INIAV.
Originally published in Mais Ribatejo.