The dust has lifted the actions of a group of strangers against a Kutxabank monoculture in the Urola valley. In this regard, ENBE, ENBA and GBE (Gipuzkoako Basozale Elkartea) offered a press conference. They condemned the fact and called for the perpetrators to punish it.

After a while and thinking about returning to calm, I would like to make a few thoughts on this subject.

To begin with, it has to be said that we are not talking about forests. The movements of Living Forests or the studies of agents such as Naturko explain that forests are something else; a community of living beings, a variety of species and plants of different ages (not only trees) of animals living in them, fungi, bacteria, etc. All of them, interrelated, form an ecological system.

On the contrary, industrial plantations are areas of unique species and trees in which all attention is concentrated on a single species of economic interest and all that is created so that they do not competencia.No it has to be said that they are very poor in biodiversity.

In Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia we have very little of the first and much of the second. In this way, the term forest is not used under appropriate conditions, which creates confusion in society. Probably an intentional confusion.

Therefore, it would be more correct if the IGR adapted its name. With the name Association of Landowners of Gipuzkoa, it would be easier to understand that they represent the property that seeks benefits before the ecological balance. Among them, most of the force, as it could not otherwise be, would be understood more clearly that the largest landlords have it and that in most cases these lands do not cultivate them (but the exploited workers). In fact, once the tree species concerned have reached their growth, all of them will be knocked down by de-logging, leaving the soil unprotected and generating significant soil losses. The research carried out by Arturo Elosegi de Aranzadi has revealed this process and the loss of biodiversity.

Whoever loves the Earth does not abuse him and will try to maintain and increase the soil he has created for thousands of years. On the contrary, those who want short-term benefits dissipate the good that has come into their hands and leave their descendants impoverished land.

On the other hand, I am very surprised (inozoa ni) to see that two terrifying Basque trade unions join the woodworkers who represent part of the sector. It would be better (and I have not heard them) for them to denounce the harsh working conditions of workers operating in the sector and defend their rights. Don't they tell us that they take care of the landscape, of nature and, ultimately, of life? In this case, at least, counter-measures are being defended, aligned with the large owners with integrated treasury.

As far as the alleged damage is concerned, it seems to me that, in view of the damage being caused by the industrial holdings in our forests, it is preferable that these crops should be removed as soon as possible and replaced by abundant vegetation adapted to the centuries, or that nature should be allowed to recover in peace. The more hectares this type of activity takes place, the more easily the duration of the natural and collective good will be guaranteed, even if some pockets are damaged.

Should we not look at the general interest? Well, to do so, those who care badly for the land will have to take it away.

Olatz Loinaz Lizaso, biologist and forestry