Within the area of 77.3 square kilometres of Bergara, 1 per cent is publicly owned and the forest of origin is virtually lost in terms of robledals, hayedos and other indigenous species. In addition, 60% of the current lands of Bergara are dominated by intensive pine and coniferous plantations; since the problem of the brown band affecting pine trees erupted in 2018, they have been forced to launch several pines to greatly alter their landscape.

Precisely, the limitations of mobility caused by the pandemic have led many people to realize the conditions in which their forests, forests and natural spaces are located.

Thus, Kukubaso has been created to try to reverse this difficult situation and on May 18 will be held the public ceremony of presentation of the association, which will take place in Seminarixoa at 18:30 hours and will be attended by the president of Kukubaso, Ainhoa Agirrebeña, member of Naturkom and professor of MU, Aitziber Sarobe, Dr.

Main objectives and activities

A small group of Kukubaso neighbours has begun the march convinced that the brown band has evidenced "a structural crisis" and that "something needs to be done" for the future. The origin of the name is in the forest of the same name that was destroyed by the works of the Bergara link of the TAV, and its objectives are well defined in the statutes: "The recovery of the indigenous forests existing in Bergara and its environment and the maintenance of the biodiversity associated with these ecosystems; the promotion of indigenous forest, the protection of plants and animals and the maintenance of healthy streams, the improvement of our quality of life and the construction of a more habitable Bergara; all of this, recovering the idea of urban land".

These are the main objectives pursued and the actions taken to achieve them. One of the activities is the purchase of land: "We want to carry out initiatives to recover the native forest, including the preservation of the territory and the transformation of the communal lands. Buy land, sign agreements with the owners, organize trips to the mountain and make plantations".

City Hall, schools and others

For their part, the members of Kukubaso are clear that collaboration with the City Council and other social partners "will be essential" to achieve equality: "One of the intentions is to meet with the representatives of the City Hall for the General Urban Management Plan to adopt and regulate measures for the conservation of indigenous forest and the defense of biodiversity. It also organizes workshops with local schools, as well as working on projects and organizing conferences to promote our objectives with local companies and workshops".

The talk was a turning point.

There have long been concerns and concerns, but, as often happens, the Kukubaso partnership also needed a turning point to accelerate its creation. This turning point was a conference held on 26 January in Seminarixoa. Within the socio-ecological transition cycle, the municipal session on biodiversity and forestry left a mark on citizenship.

The main rapporteurs were Arturo Elosegi, professor of the UPV/EHU, and Iñaki Madinabeitia, from the Mendia Bizirik group, accompanied by members of the cooperative Errez, Iñaki Etxebeste and Markel Arriolabengoa, who also announced the cooperative project Tantai Baso Jabe. "In the talk, we met the members of the Baso Biziak group of Soraluze and Eibar and, after meeting with them, we learned how the association was created. They told us that the group was set in motion with great success and encouraged us to launch it in Bergara as well. We’ve worked a small group to shape the partnership and now it’s time to bring people together,” explains Joseba Zuzaeta, a member of Kukubaso.

They were also with Etxebeste and Arriolabengoa of the cooperative Errez, before taking the step of creating the partnership, as Arianne Kareaga recalled: "The Errez cooperative have a view of the valley and we asked them if it was pertinent to create a society in Bergara. They told us yes: the more associations there are, the better. That later we will find formulas for collaboration."

The first one created in Debagoiena

Kukubaso is the first association born in Debagoiena with the aim of recovering indigenous forests. They have the will and knowledge of the need, as they are standing and are experts in the matter within the association. Kiko Alvarez, Doctor of Biology, is one of the experts: "We have to make it clear that we are facing a global loss of biodiversity. However, it is a problem that must be addressed from the country itself." Alvarez says that the conservation of Bergara forests is "deficient": "We do not have public land and therefore it is essential, both by Kukubaso and by the City Hall, to recover land to recover the native forest. The objective is clear: to recover the biodiversity of the indigenous forest and to create public goods and services".

Eucalyptus plantations in Bergara

Kukubaso members are particularly concerned that large landowners have begun planting eucalyptus in Bergara lands. In the vicinity of the Pol-Pol source – downstream of the Kerexeta dolmen – and from Partaiti to Sezio, for example, they have planted eucalyptus.

Álvarez makes it clear to what extent it is a "threat" to plant the eucalyptus in lands here: "Eucalyptus harms our environment in two ways: on the one hand, the species itself is harmful because it impoverishes the earth and considerably reduces the biodiversity around it. Eucalyptus develops chemical strategies to prevent other plant species from growing nearby. In addition, the pebble of eucalyptus is hardly broken down in our environment, and when it reaches the streams, they transform the chemical composition of the water and, therefore, our aquatic ecosystem. Secondly, the way in which eucalyptus is exploited is very damaging to the environment already penalised. The effort to remove the wood as quickly as possible and the need to remove all the trees from its roots when the farm is finished is very damaging to the land. We cannot forget that the earth is our most precious asset, the basis of life, the centuries are necessary to reproduce it".

Buy, collect and advise

The main objective of Kukubaso is, as noted above, to recover the indigenous forest by buying or transferring land to small owners. But how? At what price? According to Álvarez: "We're excited to be able to buy land, but we also know it's going to be very difficult. What we want is to have sufficient partners and support so that the partnership can gradually buy land and in these areas it is actively done in favour of the recovery of the native forest. I also believe that there is a possibility that people feel that Kukubaso is also their own, it is a common project, made among all and that it will be for all."

It is a question of recovering the idea of the old communal lands and, according to Álvarez, they are close to providing advice to small owners: "It's hard right now to define how we're going to give that advisory service, because all we've done is start the path. However, we have no problem advising owners to adhere to Kukubaso’s objectives how they can manage their land. That is to say, in Bergara we are eager to recover the native forest and to work with the owners who want to keep it as best as possible".

"It's a project of the future."

They want to attract people before the summer: "Come to know Kukubaso, to become a partner and to collaborate with us. I believe that the participation of the public and, of course, the involvement of the City Hall is important. It's a project of all, and we face it with a lot of illusion. And above all, it's a project of the future."

No native forests and eucalyptus

Within the cycle of lectures on socio-ecological transition, in the programme on biodiversity and forestry, Iñaki Madinabeitia, from the Mendia Bizirik group, stressed that the indigenous forest is "practically lost" in Bergara, there is no oak forest, hayedos or native species. Without forests and with very dispersed indigenous vegetation: "We have a very poor plant structure and have no connection to each other, which causes many problems," said the spokesman for Podemos Euskadi. After intensive planting of so many pines and conifers, the lands have become poorer and the same pines have grown weaker: "This is how pandemics emerge, the brown band and others."

Arturo Elosegi, professor of the UPV/EHU, also left a great trail at the conference, stating that forestry in the Basque Country is in crisis: "The ups and downs in prices, the lack of relief and the pests in plantations have brought the need to rethink the decline of pine and the future of forestry. The greatest change in recent years has been the expansion of eucalyptus. Published scientific studies have shown the negative environmental impact of these wooded masses, especially on biodiversity. We are therefore facing a great challenge in the search for an environmentally friendly forestry model in the Basque Country".

Indications of Kukubaso members

Ainhoa Agirrebeña, President of Kukubaso: "It has become clear to us that something needs to be done"

Once the partnership is created, it's time to make it known, right?

We want to explain to the people in the best possible way what it is and what we have created it for. We are active in social networks to attract citizens who may be interested, and then the Seminarixoa conference on 18 May will be the central event. Joint work is your axis. Indispensable. We are looking for the broadest and broadest possible participation, not just with agents of nature. Any group willing to work can be grouped together. For example, we intend to work with the centres.

The pandemic has highlighted the situation of the land...

We have not been able to move from the people and have gone to the mountains and forests of the people. That is how we have realised the damage caused by the brown band of pines and the management of recent years; it has become clear to us that something needs to be done.

Joseba Zuzaeta, member of Kukubaso: "Let's start by having children enjoy."

You've walked a lot in the forests of Bergara. How are they?

Completely red. The upright pines are dry and corrupted. The situation is very delicate. As if it were not enough, some large landowners are planting eucalyptus in Bergara lands, looking at the companies that work the wood.

Why is eucalyptus a threat to these lands?

Arturo Elosegi of the UPV/EHU spoke of various damages. But I'm going to tell you about what I've lived. There is no more than passing eucalyptus through the forests where it is planted to realize that there is no life in this land.

The situation is therefore difficult.

Although there are reasons to be pessimistic, I would like to send a positive message. The architects of the Middle Ages did not see their cathedrals end, but they are the heritage of our people; let us begin to recover the communal lands as soon as possible for our children to enjoy.