Jaime Olaizola, Doctor of Forestry Engineering, has dedicated his entire career to protecting the environment. Specializing in mycology and the author of numerous scientific books, he has co-founded seven biotechnology companies. One of these is ID Forest, focused on smart reforestation, where he brings together all his expertise and continues his commitment to environmental stewardship.
When was ID Forest founded, and why?
ID Forest was founded in 2010. Although it got off to a difficult start, the company has grown significantly over the years by carrying out extensive R&D, generating new knowledge, and seeking out innovative services that could provide solutions to environmental problems, particularly those affecting forests. ID Forest operates in the forestry sector, but we specifically specialize in microorganisms, fungi, and bacteria that promote soil health. They can even combat disease and help produce commercially valuable fungi, such as truffles, boletus, and saffron milk caps.
What breakthroughs can genetic identification bring to forestry?
Genetic identification, or genetic technology, lets us see what we couldn’t see before. At first glance, soil appears to be just a surface, but beneath it lies a hidden world. Thousands of microorganisms live there in constant conflict with each other, competing for space and resources. Genetic identification allows us to see what’s happening in different plantations. In young plantations, for instance, it can help us find out which microorganisms are most beneficial. It also reveals which fungi and bacteria die after a fire, and which need to be restored to make soil recovery faster and more effective. In this way, we can identify not only the beneficial fungi and bacteria, but also those that are causing harm.
How does the smart reforestation system you’ve developed at ID Forest work?
For a reforestation project to succeed, you have to understand its purpose and location, and factor in as many variables as possible so that it works efficiently. We call a reforestation project “smart,” “rational,” or “sustainable” when it takes all of this into account—when it respects ecology, meaning the way ecosystems truly function.
When it comes to forests, success largely depends on understanding the soil type. Soils are the digestive systems of trees. It’s crucial to understand this not only to avoid pathogens, but also to ensure that each plant receives the specific microorganisms it needs at every stage and in every soil type to build a healthy microbiome and avoid future problems. Around 98% of all plant species rely on fungi to grow, which is why we focus on mycorrhizal fungi.
What makes ID Forest’s method for identifying diseases in forest plantations different from the approaches that have been used until now?
Nature already contains solutions to many of the problems we face. What we do is study those natural processes and use biotechnology to accelerate some of them. We're essentially mimicking nature: we learn how it works and then look for technology that can speed up its own mechanisms. So what does that look like in the case of pathogens, for example? Diseases can appear in any ecosystem—in any forest. But if a disease exists, there’s also a fungus capable of fighting it. Trichoderma and mycorrhizal fungi are two examples, and they’re very common in forest ecosystems.
What’s the germination rate of your “smart” seeds?
There’s a huge difference between a plantation inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi or microorganisms and one that isn’t. In conventional reforestation, it’s normal to see mortality rates of 10% to 20%. Introducing microorganisms can cut that figure in half, no matter what kind of year we have. Given the growing climate instability we’ve seen lately, this is essential. These microorganisms are better able to regulate and adapt to difficult conditions in harsher years.
Beyond the environmental benefits of smart reforestation, how does it impact the communities where you do your reforestation projects?
Rural areas gain a great deal from reforestation. To begin with, forests generate both wood and non-wood resources. Timber is an obvious and direct benefit, and fungi offer another that’s just as valuable. For example, if we carry out a reforestation project and introduce saffron milk cap mycelium into the roots of the trees—say, in pine forests—within three or four years there will be a huge production of chanterelles that can be harvested and sold.
Community participation is also essential to our work, starting with public awareness. The One Health concept reminds us that we have to protect forests if we want to prevent the transmission of diseases, including viruses, from forests to humans or animals to humans, as we witnessed with avian flu. If we care for forest health, we’re also protecting human health. That’s why raising public awareness is so important.
Does technology (sensors, satellites, AI, etc.) play an important role in monitoring reforestation efforts and maintaining reforested areas?
Absolutely. Since our main focus is on soil, many of our plantations are equipped with moisture sensors that track the progress of the season and how the plants are responding to it. We’ve also developed many R&D projects to study how plants react to different soil moisture levels. These sensors are essential to that work. The data they collect is sent to a platform—or even directly to mobile devices—where we can use AI to process it and analyze the relationships between growth, pathologies, soil conditions, etc. All these genetic analyses of millions of microorganisms help us find the best solutions for maintaining reforested areas.
How important is it for government authorities to get involved in this research? What obstacles (bureaucratic, financial, or cultural) do you encounter when it comes to large-scale reforestation?
We’ve received considerable support for efficient and competitive R&D projects, especially in the areas that matter most: biotechnology, the environment, health, and cost-effective production. Today, a business perspective is required even in R&D projects. Environmental sustainability is essential, of course, but so are social and economic sustainability. Roughly half of the land in Spain is privately owned, while the other half is public. This makes public-private collaboration critically important. The greatest potential for growth in reforestation lies in lands suitable for fungi production, because it complements timber production. Harvesting wood often takes 20, 30, 40 years, and sometimes even longer. On the other hand, fungi can be harvested and generate income by the third year. I’m optimistic about the future. More and more clients are becoming aware of these issues, and social awareness continues to grow.