Services

The Board of Governors annually establishes the Association's objectives and work lines, controls its economy and exercises the institutional representation of individual private forest owners and private communal neighborhood forest owners before administrations, forest industries and national and international forums.

The technical and administrative team of the AFG is responsible for providing the foresters with the necessary services for good management of the forest. Among the services most demanded by members are: advice and technical assistance in forestry matters, management of communal neighborhood forests and private forests, advice on legal and administrative procedures in the forestry field, advice on forestry taxation, management of the sale of wood, organization of auctions , carrying out technical reports and appraisals, processing public aid and technical assistance for the establishment of forestry groups.

One of the most popular services among members is wood valuation. The report given to the owner allows him to know the quantity and quality of the wood he is going to sell and also its market value.

AFG offers its technical assistance to obtain the certificate of sustainable forest management according to the PEFC and FSC systems that enable the sale of certified wood and forest products in all markets.

Throughout the year, the AFG organizes numerous activities related to forestry and forest management; among them, the realization of technical trips, attendance at forestry fairs, the organization of congresses, symposia and seminars of a forestry nature stand out. In the field of training, AFG gives courses to its members on the main aspects of forestry and forest management.

AFG has accumulated extensive experience in reforestation and in the management of all types of forests, both productive and conservation. More than 15,000 ha of new forests were created in Galicia with the support of the AFG.

The technical team actively participates in national and international research and cooperation projects with the aim of transferring the main innovations in forestry to the forest. All this experience allows the AFG to have its own forestry models and repopulation methods that guarantee the success of investments in the forest.

On the other hand, all AFG members also benefit from:

• The magazine O Monte of variable periodicity and free for members, with a print run of 2,500 copies. With updated information on wood prices, aid and subsidies, forestry techniques, forest health, regulations...
• The monthly digital newsletter Novas AFG free for members
• AFG Facebook News
• The publication of books and manuals on forestry, forestry taxation and forest management.
• The technical library with web-based consultation, with an extensive bibliographic collection that includes the main books and magazines in the field of forestry.

In accordance with the widespread demand of AFG members, at the end of 2002 the Association, with the support of the Eurosilvasur project, created the service company SELGA, Compañía Galega de Silvicultores, SL, dedicated to carrying out forestry work and providing forestry engineering services. The company SELGA, owned by all the partners of AFG, has a very special dedication to the wood trade and the development of renewable energies associated with the forest.

Through SELGA, AFG members can avail of the following services:

• The management of forests, for individual and private communal neighborhood forest owners, and the supervision and direction of work in the forests on behalf of the partners.
• The preparation of planning projects and technical plans for forest management.
• Forest certification through Selga Xestión Forestal Sostible which prepares and manages the obtaining of forest management certification under the two international systems: PEFC and FSC.
• The development of technical forestry projects: repopulation, forestry treatments and construction of forestry infrastructures.
• The restoration and recovery of forests and natural forest ecosystems.
• The preparation of land plans and forest cartography.
• The execution of forestry work: plantations, afforestation of agricultural land, application of treatments against forest pests and diseases and carrying out pruning and thinning.
• The commercialization of wood: sales management and organization of auctions.
• The development of renewable energy projects.