Identification & Background
Project name: ASINIFIRE – Donkeys in Fire Prevention for Ecological Resilience
Acronym: ASINIFIRE
Project description: The socio-economic transformations occurred in recent decades in the interior territories, led to profound changes of the landscape, directly impacting the recurrence and severity of fires, effects these aggravated by climate change. ASINIFIRE aims to reduce the risk of fire in peri-urban areas of rural localities of the Cross-border Biosphere Reserve of the Iberian Plateau (RBTMI) through the development of a sustainable management model in environmental services provided by Miranda and Zamorano Leonês donkeys. This model integrates current grazing practices in forests with innovative forest management practices using animal traction. To ensure the consolidation and sustainability of the initiative, a cross-border network will be institutionalized that contributes to the growth and valorization of these breeds, in line with UNESCO’s objective when creating the RBTMI for sustainable development, reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with cultural heritage.
Project code: PD24-00017
Start date: 01/01/2025
Completion date: 01/01/2028
Total eligible: €249,994.05
Promoters: CIMO – Centro de Investigação de Montanha do IPB (leader)
co-Promoters:
AEPGA – Associação para o Estudo e Protecção do Gado Asinino
ASZAL – Asociación Nacional de Criadores de la Raza Asnal Zamorano-Leonesa, a BULEZA S. COOP.
Município de Vimioso
ZASNET – Agrupamento Europeu de Cooperação Territorial
MORE CoLAB
The ASINIFIRE project aims to develop a cross-border strategy in the RBTMI to promote sustainable management of forest areas and the protection of rural goods and communities, in a climate change scenario. The proposal focuses on the implementation of grazing practices that allow fuel management, as well as the use of animal traction in forestry operations. These new uses contribute to the conservation and appreciation of the native breeds of donkeys and their habitat. It is expected that by giving new features to the donkeys, their numbers increase.
The specific objectives of the ASINIFIRE project are:
