Could Algarve pine trees help prevent wildfires?

The Algarve has more than 42,000 hectares of stone pine forest, but many of these trees produce few pine cones, leaving landowners with little financial return.

By Kam Heskin, in News, Environment · 26 Oct 2026, 18:03 · 0 Comments

Now, an old practice could offer new opportunities.

Collecting resin from pine trees, a process known as resin tapping, is being explored as a way to generate income from the region’s forests while potentially helping to reduce wildfire risks.

The idea was presented at a workshop in Marmelete, Monchique, on 8 October, organised by forestry associations ASPAFLOBAL and Resipinus as part of the RN21 project.

The event brought together forest owners, business representatives and forestry specialists to look at new techniques for extracting resin without unnecessarily damaging the trees.

Pine resin has a surprisingly wide range of uses. Once processed, it can be used in paints, adhesives, cleaning products and even products such as violin bow rosin.

Yet despite its commercial value, Portugal currently imports almost 90% of the resin needed by its domestic industry, according to ASPAFLOBAL.

Traditionally, resin has been collected from maritime pines, but researchers are now exploring whether the Algarve’s extensive stone pine forests could offer a similar opportunity.

Many of these trees were planted during the 1990s and have never produced significant quantities of pine nuts.

If resin extraction proves commercially viable, it could give landowners another reason to maintain their forests.

This is where wildfire prevention comes in.

Forests that generate income are more likely to receive regular attention, including clearing excess vegetation and maintaining access to the land.

The associations believe this could help reduce the amount of combustible material in forested areas and increase human activity in places that might otherwise receive little maintenance.

There is work to be done, however.

The techniques presented are at an early stage, and researchers have yet to establish how much money landowners could realistically earn from stone pine resin. Technical and legal requirements also need to be addressed.

For now, it’s an interesting possibility: turning an underused natural resource into something valuable, while giving Algarve landowners another incentive to look after their forests.