Redeia has restored a total of 1,041 hectares of forest area since 2009, fifteen years during which 852,546 trees and shrubs have been planted in 21 sites throughout Spain. This is “The Redeia Forest”, a project that has seen the company invest more than 3 million euros.

Redeia launched this initiative to contribute to the fight against climate change and the loss of biodiversity by restoring degraded areas, often affected by forest fires. Additionally, the planting of trees contributes to offsetting part of the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the company. It is estimated that these 21 forests will compensate for around 260,000 tonnes of CO2 over their lifetime. 

This project is intended to be a permanent undertaking, started by Redeia four years before the UN General Assembly designated 21 March as the International Day of Forests in 2013.

"Redeia's commitment to forestry initiatives and, in particular, to fire prevention had been going on for a long time, but in 2009 we went a step further by planting 8,100 trees covering 162 hectares in Oliva de la Frontera and Valencia de Mombuey in Badajoz," explained Antonio Calvo Roy, Redeia's Sustainability Director. 

That was the beginning of " The Redeia Forest”, which now celebrates its 15th anniversary. "Once again this year we are renewing our constant efforts to fight against deforestation and to protect the environment. It is part of our commitment to Sustainability and to the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda", added Calvo.

In addition, this initiative contributes to the local economy of the sites of the 21 forests, by contracting local companies or communities. The “Redeia Forest” also aims to raise awareness among the population, especially students and employees of the company.

Since 2009, Redeia has promoted the reforestation of forests in different areas of Spain and worked in collaboration with public entities and organisations involved in this line of work. 
In total, "The Redeia Forest" is now present in thirteen autonomous communities: Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and Leon, Valencia, Extremadura, Murcia, Navarre, Galicia and the Basque Country.

Among the different initiatives, it is worth highlighting the Altura Forest (Castellón), where Redeia has restored 31.50 hectares in public utility forests that were affected by the major forest fire in Andilla in 2012. At the site, 4,000 plants of Juniperus thurifera, Phillyrea angustifolia, Crataegus monogyna, Amelanchier ovalis and Rhamnus lycioides have been planted.

The province of Valencia is home to three of the Redeia Forests, such as the one in the Sierra Calderona Natural Park, where, starting in 2013, a burnt area of 24.5 hectares was restored with a total of 18,711 specimens of Aleppo pine, Phoenician juniper, carob, juniper, palmetto and wild olive trees.

Moreover, we have cleared 7,000 square metres of reeds, an invasive species, from the Turia Natural Park and replaced it with riparian woodland. This has improved the quality of the water, which has become a safe haven for many different species.

Meanwhile, in the Vedat de Torrent (Valencia) in 2014, holm oaks were planted in the Serra Perenxisa Forest to replace the pines affected by the Tomcus Destruens pest, which was seriously affecting the forest mass.

In the Canary Islands, 7,168 trees and shrubs of native species such as pine, Canary cedar, escobón and tajinaste were planted in the Chajaña Forest (Tenerife) between 2017 and 2019.

In the Balearic Islands, the Sa Duaia-Es Recó Forest in Artá (Majorca) was launched between 2014 and 2015, this forest that was burned in 2013, and is now part of the Natura 2000 Network, and listed as a Site of Community Importance and a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA). In this area, 36 hectares have been restored with 12,000 specimens of native species such as pine, wild olive and holm oak.

These, together with other forests in Remendón (Vizcaya); Teruel; Sierra de Grazalema (Cádiz); Hellín (Albacete) are part of the initiatives developed over the last five years.

In 2022, actions were undertaken on 47 hectares of three public utility forests in three public utility forests in Navarre and on a further 30 hectares of two public utility forests in Avila with a total of 77,239 birch, chestnut, beech, pine, holm oak, oak, poplar, walnut, ash and willow trees.

Three new sites in 2023

The latest interventions, which were carried out in 2023, have added three new areas to "The Redeia Forest". These are the forests of Nieva (Orense), Gramalleira (Lugo) and Lourenza (Pontevedra), where a total of 39,574 specimens of pine, chestnut, oak and birch trees have been planted.