Current Experiences in Economic Incentives Boosting Coordinated Fuel Reduction for Wildfire Risk Mitigation in Catalonia (Spain)

In a context of increasing wildfire risk and highly fragmented forest ownership, this work investigates two relatively recent monetary policy instruments in Catalonia that require grouped applications: a subsidy for fuel reduction, which prioritises collective applications in wildfire-strategic areas, and a climate credit system that promotes territorially coordinated, multifunctional forest management that, i.a., decreases wildfire risk through fuel management. Through in-depth interviews with beneficiaries and consultations with key informants, we analysed whether these measures have triggered adjacent forest management, and how they have interacted with joint action rules to facilitate concerted interventions. The qualitative content analysis indicates that these measures represent a significant step towards landscape-level management and that pre-existing forest owners’ associations play a crucial role in capturing the available funds. The eligibility of coordination costs is also appreciated for covering the transaction costs of catalysing landowners. Yet, areas with weaker social capital may become disadvantaged if there is no external support for their organisation. These findings contribute to the emerging field of policy tools for effective landscape-level interventions.