The Galicia Forestry Association (hereafter, AFG) is a non-profit private association, created in Santiago de Compostela in 1986. It brings together individual private forest owners and private communal neighborhood forest owners in Galicia.
Its main purposes are to defend the professional interests of its members, to represent them before the public administrations, the forestry industry and entities related to the forestry sector, as well as to carry out all those activities that improve forestry and the sustainable management of the forests of its members and that contribute to increasing the profitability and quality of Galician forest resources.
For a more efficient development of the services it provides to its members, in 2002 the AFG created the company Selga, Compañía Galega de Silvicultores, S.L. (SELGA). In 2011 Selga promoted the creation of the PEFC forest certification group Gestión Forestal Sostenible Selga and in 2013 it created an FSC certification group through which it carries out the forest certification of its members' forests.
THE AFG MEMBERS
The AFG members are forest owners of individual private forests and private communal neighborhood forests. Natural and legal persons, institutions and companies that own forests in the territory of Galicia can form part of the Galicia Forestry Association.
The individual private forest owners are represented in the AFG with plots of very different sizes, from 2 ha to more than 1,000 ha, and group together a forest area of more than 35,000 ha of the most productive forests in Europe. The maritime pine, eucalyptus, Monterey pine, oak and chestnut forests are the most common among AFG members, and wood is the main resource in these forests.
The private communal neighborhood forest owners associated with the AFG group together 55,000 hectares of forest. More than 25,000 communal residents are part of these private communal neighborhood forest owners. Some of these communities carry out economic activities other than forestry, such as mining (granite and slate), the exploitation of wind energy, hospitality (camping sites, recreational areas) or extensive livestock farming. Property sizes vary between 25 and 1,600 hectares.
The AFG brings together a group of approximately 30,000 people directly linked to the Galician forests. The AFG has partners in 70% of Galicia's municipalities, with a very active presence in those with more forest areas.
SUMMARY OF CURRICULAR DATA
1984 A team of experts made up of forest technicians and owners carries out a study on forest associationism in Galicia and in Europe. The same team of experts promotes a forest grouping model for forest owners.
1985 Forest owners meet in several areas of Galicia. They visit forestry organizations in the Basque Country, Aquitaine and Scandinavia.
1986 In February 1986, the Galicia Forestry Association was established in which individual private forest owners and private communal neighborhood forest owners participate. The event is held at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Santiago de Compostela.
1988 The AFG team promotes the first groupings of forest owners in Galicia as a model of associated forest management to overcome the problems of smallholding.
1989 The Union of Foresters of Southern Europe (USSE) is created in Bordeaux. The AFG is a founding member, together with the Confederation of Foresters of the Basque Country and the Union of Foresters of Aquitaine.
1990 A study team from the AFG prepares a technical report for the creation of the Defense Service against Forest Fires in Galicia, which was established that same year.
1991 The second AFG office is inaugurated in Ponteareas (Xinzo), dedicated exclusively to the private communal neighborhood forest owners.
1992 A team of experts linked to the AFG prepares, on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Forests of the Xunta de Galicia, the Forestry Plan of Galicia. This plan was approved by the Parliament of Galicia in 1993.
1993 The Confederation of Forestry Organizations of Spain (COSE) is created in Madrid. The AFG is a founding member and holds a vice presidency.
1994 First studies on forestry taxation within the Compostela-Bosques project.
1994 The third office of the AFG is inaugurated in As Pontes de García Rodríguez, dedicated mainly to private members that remained active until 2012.
1994 The fourth office of the AFG is inaugurated in Lalín, dedicated mainly to private members that remained active until 1997.
1996 AFG participates in the preparation of the Spanish Forestry Strategy.
1997 An AFG office dedicated to the care of private communal neighborhood forest owners is inaugurated in Boiro, which remained active until 2001.
1997 An AFG office is opened in Ortigueira, mainly dedicated to private members, which remained active until 2004.
1998 The Forestry Advisory Committee of the European Union is set up in Brussels. AFG is, through COSE, a member of the committee.
1999 COSE promotes the constitution of Association for Spanish Forest Certification, integrated into the PEFC Forest Certification System. AFG participates as a founding partner.
2000 A specific IRPF tax regime is approved for wood sales by forest owners in accordance with the tax reform proposal defended by AFG-COSE and accepted by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
2002 AFG creates the forestry services company SELGA SL, within the framework of the Eurosilvasur Project, aimed at providing services to AFG members.
2003 AFG participates in the constitution of the Galician Association for the Promotion of Forest Certification with the aim of developing the certification of sustainable forest management in Galicia under the PEFC system.
2004 AFG participates in the establishment of the PEFC Forestry Certification Applicant Entity of Galicia.
2005 Inauguration of the photovoltaic plant at the Xinzo Cultural Center (Ponteareas), an initiative put into practice through an agreement with the Private Communal Neighborhood Forest Owners of Xinzo (Ponteareas) and receives a grant from the Ministry of Innovation, Industry and Commerce.
2005 A regional office of the AFG is inaugurated in Cangas de Foz, dedicated to both individual private forests owners and private communal neighborhood forest owners, remaining active until 2007.
2006 The AFG signs the Forestry Agreement for the use of burnt wood and for the sustainable recovery of wooded areas affected by forest fires.
2007 The AFG promotes the establishment of the Association of Primary Forest Biomass Producers of the South of Galicia (ENERXIL) which brings together 55 private communal neighborhood forests in the south of the province of Pontevedra.
2008 The AFG promotes and participates in the establishment of the Galician Forest Technology Platform (Devesa), in which it holds the vice presidency.
2008 A biomass boiler for heat production is inaugurated at the Xinzo Cultural Center (Ponteareas). The project is an initiative of the Galicia Forestry Association within the framework of the Enersilva cooperation project financed by the Interreg III B Sudoe program and its installation was carried out under a collaboration agreement signed between the AFG, the Private Communal Neighborhood Forest Owners of Xinzo, the Ministry of Innovation and Industry and the Ministry of the Rural Environment from the Xunta de Galicia
2009 Selga participates in the ENGABIOMASA business project for the creation of a biomass plant for the production of electricity in the south of Galicia.
2009 AFG begins the forest certification process for its partners' forests under the PEFC system.
2010 AFG launches the PEFC group certification system, XFS SELGA.
2010 The AFG promotes the project "Promotion of the sustainable use of forest biomass for energy purposes in the north of Portugal and the south of Galicia" (SILVAPLUS) within the Spain-Portugal cross-border cooperation operational program. POCTEP 2007-2013.
2012 Through the PEFC XFS Selga Certification Group, a forest area of 12,637.48 ha is achieved with forest certification.
2013 Selga launches a group for the certification of sustainable forest management by the FSC system.
2015 The AFG begins the publication and dissemination of the digital newsletter Novas AFG.
2015 The AFG collaborates in the constitution and development of the SomosCuns Forest Development Society, which brings together more than 100 forest owners in the A Coruña municipality of Outes.
2016 The AFG begins the establishment of the Pico Sacro demonstration field. A space for the dissemination and innovative experiences of hardwood forestry and non-timber products financed by the Inditex Group.
2017 AFG participates through COSE in the group “Juntos por los Bosques” in the preparation of the proposal to improve forestry taxation.
2017 The AFG participates in the creation of the Galician Forestry Commission in which the main organizations of the Galician forestry chain participate.
2017 Through the PEFC XFS Selga Certification Group, a forest area of 35,361.38 ha is achieved with forest certification.
2018 The Pico Sacro demonstration field, which functions as a forestry school, is inaugurated.
2020 AFG promotes and is a founding member of the Arume Foundation.
2021 AFG enrolls the first carbon absorption projects.
2021 AFG actively participates in the creation of the Pino de Galicia brand.