Nació Digital, the University of Barcelona and Agrotecnio join forces to analyse the evolution of Catalan forests over the past 20 years.
Journalists from Nació Digital and researchers from the University of Barcelona and Agrotecnio are working together to investigate the impact of climate change on Catalonia’s forests. The main objective is to calculate what percentage of forest has been gained, lost or degraded over the past 20 years, and to investigate the causes of these changes.
The project, “Tracking the silent crisis of forests: how many trees have died or been significantly affected by climate change in Catalonia over the past 20 years?”, combines data journalism with scientific expertise in forest ecology and remote sensing. The research aims to quantify forest mortality and degradation across Catalonia, and to identify the most vulnerable species and geographical areas.
The proposal will also analyse the consequences of forest degradation, including the accumulation of biomass and its impact on wildfire risk, as well as economic losses for the forestry sector and rural communities.
The research is part of the Journalism Science Alliance, a programme co-funded by the European Union through the Creative Europe programme that supports investigative journalism projects jointly developed by media organisations and research institutions.
Satellites and fieldwork
To quantify changes in forest area, the project will use two independent models based on satellite data. The results will be compared with administrative data on authorised logging, management plans and conservation areas, obtained through requests to the Catalan Government, provincial councils and local councils. This information will make it possible to distinguish mortality associated with climate change from other planned interventions.
The team will also carry out fieldwork in different counties across Catalonia, with the participation of forestry engineers and environmental officers. The visits will make it possible to study mortality patterns, identify potential pest outbreaks linked to climate stress and document regeneration problems. Drone flights are also planned to obtain high-resolution images of tree canopies.
An investigation in a series of reports
The project is designed as a journalistic investigation consisting of several interactive reports on the state of Catalan forests.
The various chapters will address different aspects of the evolution and condition of Catalan forests, including wildfires, rural abandonment, forest change—with data from public authorities on forest-area loss and gains—the impact of housing developments on forests, and public perceptions of forests.
The project will include a large, high-resolution interactive map that will make it possible to visualise changes in forest cover across different areas of Catalonia. The project website is already public, and the final findings may be completed before the end of the year, depending on the progress of the investigation and editorial criteria.
The research team
The journalism team consists of Arnau Urgell, science journalist and project lead; Carlos Albaladejo, data journalist; and environmental journalists from Nació Digital with experience covering the impacts of climate change in Catalonia.
Representing the University of Barcelona and Agrotecnio are Joel Segarra Torruella, a researcher specialising in forest remote sensing, and Andrea González, a University of Barcelona expert in remote-sensing analysis.