‘An underused tool’: How regenerative farmers are shielding Spanish land from wildfires

Regenerative Farming Emerges as Critical Defense Against Europe’s Escalating Wildfire Crisis

Usagevpn.com – Across western and central Europe, smouldering earth continues to threaten communities as prolonged heatwaves and severe drought conditions create an increasingly volatile environment for wildfires. The situation has grown so critical that near Athens, spreading flames necessitated additional evacuations following a tragic mid-air collision between two firefighting helicopters, which claimed the lives of a Greek and Danish national on Sunday.

This incident represents just one chapter in a devastating summer that has already displaced approximately one-third of a million residents across France and Spain. Observers are now watching closely to determine whether this fire season will surpass 2025’s already concerning record of 10,000 square kilometres burned throughout Europe—a figure driven by temperatures climbing at more than double the global average rate.

Proactive Preparation in Catalonia

“This is the most dangerous summer I’ve ever experienced,” reflects Sergi Caballero, who co-founded the permaculture farm and cooperative Mas Les Vinyes in Catalonia, Spain. “We’re inland, we get minus 12 in winter – but this year I’ve measured 45°C in the field. I’ve never had to use a fan at night before.”

As a trained ADF—Catalonia’s volunteer forest defence firefighters who frequently arrive before professional crews reach rural locations—Sergi and his wife have strategically positioned water tanks throughout their property. These reservoirs remain on constant standby for any potential blaze that might ignite nearby.

Far from adopting a purely reactive approach, Sergi has dedicated over ten years to fortifying his farm against Spain’s intensifying wildfire threat. At Mas Les Vinyes, this preparation involved mapping vulnerable zones, removing fire-prone pine trees while preserving fire-resistant oaks and holm oaks, utilizing wood chippers to convert dead branches into soil fertiliser, and grazing livestock on dry grass before it transforms into combustible fuel.

“The single most important thing we can do is stop grass from drying out and building up – keeping it grazed – and managing the forest understorey with livestock,” Sergi explains. “That is the key.”

These regenerative methods have successfully tripled the farm’s soil organic matter, substantially enhancing the land’s capacity to retain moisture. Nevertheless, the current drought proves particularly severe. A comparable dry spell three years ago eliminated an entire apricot crop that was in full production, and this year Sergi has documented twenty additional dead pear trees.

“I’ve had to replace dead apricot trees with figs because they’re more drought-resilient, but figs sell for much less,” he notes. “The crops that survive the climate crisis are worth the least. That’s a problem policymakers need to solve.”

A Continent-Wide Opportunity

While Sergi exemplifies farmers securing their land through regenerative practices, he represents neither the majority nor the exception. Commonland, an international non-profit organization collaborating with local communities across more than fifty nations to rehabilitate degraded landscapes, contends that this form of land restoration constitutes Europe’s most neglected defense against fire.

“Our ecosystems have been stripped bare by industrial land use practices and we’re witnessing the results in real time,” states Lily Maxwell-Lwin, Commonland’s head of advocacy. “Our most underused tool to fight wildfires is restoring our landscapes. As well as moving away from a fossil fuel economy, we must invest in green infrastructure as a vital risk management tool, focusing on strengthening our natural reserves to protect communities from the devastating impacts of extreme weather.”

Commonland’s methodology, termed the 4 Returns Framework, connects land restoration to social impact, biodiversity enhancement, financial return, and community pride in place.

Success Stories Across Southern Spain

Further south in Andalucía, Carmen Bueno—a farmer and founder of the regenerative agriculture association Serranías Vivas—implemented a preventive fire plan in May. She reports that her land, grazed by sheep and horses, emerged unscathed from this year’s wildfires. Even her cork oaks, though scorched, appear poised for recovery.

“The key to this is that we did not remove the cork during the last 11 years: the cork is the trees’ greatest protection,” she explains. “While it may look burnt on the outside, it is protecting the tree itself.”

For farmers who do not employ regenerative grazing practices, this summer’s fires have proven considerably more destructive. The Spanish Association for Regenerative Agriculture examined the impact of a recent fire on farmland managed through both conventional and regenerative methods. “The conclusions are striking,” observes the association’s president, Ana Digón. Where sheep had been moved daily and used strategically to manage vegetation, the results demonstrated significantly reduced fire vulnerability compared to conventionally managed pastures that allowed dry grass to accumulate into substantial fuel loads.

These findings underscore a growing consensus among agricultural experts: investing in landscape restoration and regenerative practices offers not only environmental benefits but also economic resilience for farmers facing an increasingly unpredictable climate future. As European policymakers consider long-term strategies for wildfire prevention, the experiences of farmers like Sergi, Carmen, and countless others across the continent provide valuable evidence that working with nature—rather than against it—may prove to be the most effective defense against one of the century’s most pressing challenges.