The municipality of Tineo hosted the official launch of the MULTICAS Project this June, an ambitious innovation initiative aimed at revitalising rural areas in Asturias and north-western Castile and León through chestnut cultivation and the promotion of the bioeconomy. The project is supported by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
MULTICAS is led by the Forest Owners’ Association Juntas de Montes (JUMA), in partnership with Fundación CETEMAS (Asturias) and Fundación Cesefor (Castile and León). The launch event brought together forestry experts, landowners, technicians and institutional representatives to discuss the key structural and environmental challenges facing chestnut forests, including pests, diseases and increasing vulnerability to climate change.
The project aims to improve the profitability and resilience of chestnut groves by promoting innovation in the use of their main resources: timber, fruit and fungi. It also supports the development of joint forest management models and encourages the transfer of practical knowledge to forest owners and managers.
During the opening session, speakers highlighted the strategic importance of chestnut trees, not only as a defining feature of the region’s landscape and cultural heritage, but also as a sustainable economic opportunity with the potential to generate employment and help address rural depopulation. The technical programme detailed the project’s key actions, combining scientific research with applied forestry practices.
Core areas of work include biodiversity assessment, forest management models, mycological production, forest health and ownership management. Project partners emphasised that MULTICAS aims to deliver practical solutions to help optimise resources and transform forest assets into a long-term driver of sustainable development.
The event also presented new public funding opportunities to modernise the forestry sector, introduced by the Government of the Principality of Asturias. It concluded with a discussion highlighting the need for stronger coordination between public authorities, research organisations and forest owners to ensure the project’s success.
