🌲 Country: Spain
🏫 Europea-Spain
🌿 About the School: EA del Solsonès, founded over 50 years ago in Olius, Catalonia, offers practical education in agriculture, livestock, and forestry. It provides higher vocational degrees in Forest Management and Rural Landscape, continuous training and hands-on experience in its 80-hectare forestry school. The forestry program of Escola Agrària del Solsonès in Catalonia focuses on sustainable forest management, blending traditional methods with modern practices. It aims to preserve the region’s woodlands, support local communities, and promote economic growth through timber, biodiversity, and nature-based tourism.
🌿 About the School: EFA Malvesía, the school was founded 60 years ago for people from the rural areas who wanted to pursue studies in vocational training in agriculture, landscape, poultry, and forestry management. etc. The center is placed in the middle of one area, very close to the agricultural and forest areas. We have an area where students can complete their practices and improve their skills in a protected environment with lots of Mediterranean vegetation and a very rich biodiversity. Apart from that, the principal problem is the fire forest, so we prepare the mountains to prevent this issue.
🌿 About the School: EFA Quintanes, located in the heart of rural Catalonia, has been a leading institution in forestry and environmental education since 1975. With a strong focus on hands-on learning, safety, and sustainability, the school prepares students to become skilled professionals in forestry, agriculture, and environmental management.
🌿 About the School: EA del Pirineu is a public training center, dependent on the Agricultural Training Service (SFA) of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (DARP) of the Generalitat de Catalunya, which teaches specific professional training, the incorporation of young people, continuing education courses and technology transfer conferences. The main areas of action of the school are: Mountain agroforestry systems, Equestrian, and Cheesemaking. The initial forestry training that we have been providing with the CFGM for the Use and Conservation of the Natural Environment must, in the future, be aimed at ensuring that our students achieve the knowledge and professional qualifications necessary to be able to work in companies in the forestry sector.
👥 Team Members:
● Yannick Franken– competitor (EA Pirineu)
● David Gil – competitor (EFA Malvesia)
● Sergi Martínez- competitor (Escola Agràrai del Solsonès)
● Eudald Ridao Badia – competitor (EFA Quintanes)
💪 Preparation: The team is preparing for the forestry competition by focusing on precision and efficiency in each discipline. Special training includes mastering techniques for tree identification, perfecting precision cuts in logs, and familiarizing oneself with forestry tools,
particularly chainsaws, among other things. They are also practicing under time pressure to simulate competition conditions. Strategies include reviewing the rules and guidelines carefully, improving teamwork, and seeking feedback to refine their skills for the best possible performance.
🎉 Fun Fact: The “Raiers” tradition in Catalonia is all about the old practice of floating timber down rivers from the mountain forests to sawmills. For centuries, raiers, or river loggers, used their deep knowledge of the rivers and currents to transport logs. It was a vital part of the local economy and way of life. Today, the tradition is still remembered and celebrated in some areas with festivals that honor this unique connection between people and nature