Montnegre-Corredor Forest Owners Association (APMC) is a private non-profit organization established in 1992 with the aim of unifying the voice of the forest owners in Montnegre and Corredor, defending their interests, and addressing common issues.
Its area of action covers the 22 municipalities within the Montnegre-Corredor Massif, with 32,400 hectares of forested land. Currently, it has 220 members, representing 9,200 hectares (28% of the forested area of the massif). The organization is assembly-based and has a board of 9 members, as well as a technical team consisting of a forest engineer-manager, an administrative officer, and a geographer.
Over the years, the Association has contributed to raising awareness about the natural, social, and forest values of the massif, and to promoting forest management as a necessary activity for maintaining the landscape balance. The Association has driven forest management through improvement actions, joint planning, climate change adaptation techniques, fire prevention, and the valorization of local products. As a result of this work, in 2017 the Montnegre and Corredor Forest Group SL (AFMC SL) was created, specializing in the execution of forest management actions and product management.
The APMC’s actions are divided into 3 main lines of work:
- Joint Actions
The APMC represents its members’ interests before public administrations. It organizes regular meetings with the Montnegre-Corredor Park, municipalities, and other public authorities to promote forest activity. One notable initiative is the creation of Quality Suber SL (https://qualitysuber.com/), aimed at improving the marketing of local cork.
- Promotion of Forest Management
The APMC promotes forest planning through the development of joint management plans (7 plans, each covering 2,000 hectares). It also encourages actions for fire prevention, climate change resilience, and biodiversity. The Group AFMC SL coordinates silvicultural works, restoration efforts, and the commercialization of local forest products. To support this, it has a platform for storing and processing products, as well as its own truck. The Association also participates in the SingularWood project (https://singularwood.cat/) to promote local wood. The technical team maintains constant contact with the members, providing support on various issues such as grants and boundary disputes. Additionally, the Association provides technical support to the Montnegre and Corredor Shepherds Association, aiming to promote extensive livestock farming and integrate it into the forest management of the massif.
- Knowledge Transfer and Innovation
The APMC identifies issues and opportunities in the forest sector and shares innovations that impact Montnegre and Corredor in particular. To date, more than 20 articles, 72 workshops, congresses, 5 European projects, and academic mentoring have been developed. The Association also publishes the Aulet magazine annually, addressing forest, social, and natural topics relevant to the Montnegre-Corredor region.
