In a statement giving examples to support what it says are inaccuracies, Quercus concludes that Portugal continues to present official data “that distort the forest reality”, fuelling “an incorrect statistical and political perception of the size of eucalyptus forests”.

This, it adds, has serious consequences for fire prevention and fighting, environmental assessment and the definition of public policies.

Quercus recommends the urgent rectification of the analysis method, to ensure the correct identification of forest species, and a more real-time update of the data.

The association also argues that eucalyptus plantations and other fast-growing species should be subject to mandatory licensing and georeferencing on an official state platform, "allowing for transparent and effective monitoring of land use and the evolution of fire risk."

Distorting reality

The current classification of land use in Portugal, the association highlights in its statement, "is systematically concealing the reality of eucalyptus plantations," and without corrective measures and transparency, the country will continue to live with an official narrative that distorts reality and compromises the safety of people and property.

Recalling the latest rural fire data from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), which indicate that this year was the 4th with the largest burned area since 1996 (254,296 hectares), Quercus says that the analysis of the Land Use and Occupation Map (COS) and the Conjunctural Land Occupation Map (COSc) "reveals structural deficiencies that are compromising the understanding of the Portuguese forestry reality and that compromise official data." The maps are produced by the General Directorate of Territory (DGT) based on satellite images from the European Copernicus-Sentinel-2 program.

The COS (Central Occident Map) is updated every five years, and the orthophotomaps (high-precision digital maps) had their last edition in 2018, therefore “they present a significant discrepancy in relation to the real territory,” says Quercus.

Furthermore, it adds, the annual COSc (Central Occupancy Map) classifies vast areas of young eucalyptus forest, regenerating or in rotation after cutting, as “scrubland,” thus “masking the true extent of this forest crop.”

In its statement, Quercus gives two examples of the situation, one in relation to the Arouca fire in 2024, in which 6,500 hectares, 80% eucalyptus forest, were burned. But the “official information” classifies 62% of the area as “scrubland fire.”

Regarding the Pedrógão fire, the association adds that reports from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) indicate 80% "scrubland," in an area where 90% corresponded to young eucalyptus trees or natural regeneration.

Quercus states that forest stands are registered as "scrubland" at various stages of the eucalyptus cycle: up to five to eight years, until they reach five meters, after successive cuts, or in a state of regeneration.

Thus, the association estimates that in large fires, "tens of thousands" of hectares of plantations are reported to the population simply as "scrubland," downplaying the risk and the real impact on territories and communities.