On 21 and 22 April 2026, the partners of the European BOSPIR-3D project gathered in Solsona, at the Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya, for the official launch of the project. This first meeting brought together representatives from IEFC, HAZI, ARI and the CTFC, highlighting the strong cross-border dimension of this initiative dedicated to Pyrenean forests.
A project promoting the sustainable management of mountain forests
BOSPIR-3D aims to modernise forest inventory and monitoring methods through the combined use of innovative technologies such as:
- ground-based and aerial LiDAR,
- drones,
- 3D modelling,
- and artificial intelligence.
The aim is to compare and validate different digitisation approaches in order to identify the most robust and operational solutions for forest management in mountainous areas.
The Pyrenean forests are complex, multifunctional ecosystems that play a major role in:
- biodiversity conservation,
- carbon sequestration,
- protection against natural hazards,
- and fire prevention.
Given the limitations of traditional forest inventories, which are often costly and difficult to carry out in mountainous areas, BOSPIR-3D aims to provide tools that are more accurate, harmonised and tailored to operational needs.
BOSPIR-3D kick-off meeting
Two days of intensive work in Solsona
The first day of the kick-off meeting was devoted to the organisational and scientific aspects of the project:
- a review of administrative and financial obligations,
- defining communication activities,
- discussions on future pilot sites,
- presentation of the equipment and software to be used,
- and a discussion of data collection and processing methodologies.
Special attention was paid to the selection of pilot sites across the various partner regions. Discussions focused in particular on the diversity of forest types, stand structures, topographical contexts and management objectives, in order to ensure that the situations encountered in the Pyrenees were represented as fully as possible.
IEFC were represented by Joy Kingson and Lucas Moreews, with Christophe Orazio participating remotely. IEFC will contribute in particular to the identification and monitoring of pilot sites in the French Pyrenees, with a focus on planted mountain forests.
A field day dedicated to 3D technologies
On the second day, the partners met in the field at a plot within the LiFE Pinassa del Solsonès project. This technical visit included demonstrations of drone flights, LiDAR scans and the use of various sensors and measuring equipment.
These initial tests provided an opportunity to discuss:
- operational constraints in mountainous environments,
- data collection protocols,
- and the complementarities between field surveys and remote sensing technologies.
Field day at a plot within the LiFE Pinassa del Solsonès project
Cross-border cooperation focused on innovation
Beyond technological developments, BOSPIR-3D is underpinned by a strong focus on knowledge transfer between scientific partners, forest managers, and local stakeholders. The project plans to organise workshops, training sessions and dissemination activities to promote the harmonisation of methods and the adoption of new forest management practices.
By combining digital innovation, applied research and regional cooperation, BOSPIR-3D will contribute to the development of more effective decision-support tools to strengthen the resilience of Pyrenean forests in the face of environmental and climate challenges.