resin

By: Lucía Castañeda

Spain's untapped liquid gold

For centuries, people have tapped pine trees to extract resin. But in one Spanish province, locals believe this ancient
practice could save rural villages and help the planet at the same time. Stretching north of Madrid, the autonomous
region of Castilla y León in northwestern Spain is a patchwork of vast mountain ranges, high plateaus and medieval
towns.

What is resin?

Resin is often used as a coating material in construction, furniture making, carpentry and the manufacture of decorative
objects. Resin's water resistance and weather resistance make it ideal for use in exterior applications. The resin is also
used to manufacture varnishes, paints, adhesives, cleaning products and furniture care products.

Resin production

Resination takes place between February and November.

To extract the resin, they use some ancient tools such as the half-moon, necessary to embed the staple that directs the
miner, the barraco, the tracer and other self-made instruments such as a wheelbarrow with a 'squeezer' to remove the
miner from the pots, in addition to the trowel and the escoda.

"Bleeding" the trees

In the warmer months from March to November, local producers carefully extract the resin from the pines by first
removing the outer layer of the tree's bark. Then, a plate is nailed to the trunk and a collection container is attached to
it. The extractors then use their axes to cut diagonal incisions in the bark, "bleeding" the trees and causing their resin to
seep into the pot.

resin use in plastics

Synthetic type resins, also called plastic resins, are those used for the manufacture of plastics, since it is a very
economical, light, resistant, versatile and easy to maintain material.

booming market

Pine resin has been used by different civilizations for thousands of years. In Spain and much of the Mediterranean, it
was used to waterproof ships, treat burns and light torches, among other things. But according to Alejandro Chozas,
professor in the Department of Forestry Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, it was not until the 19th
and 20th centuries that pine resin extraction became really profitable in Castilla y León.

An environmentally friendly alternative to oil?

She argues that most products made from petroleum, such as plastic, for example, which is not biodegradable, can
also be made from resin and break down more easily. "Resin is the world's oil today and in the future," she says.

Rural return

In addition to its environmental benefits, proponents of pine resin also believe it could offer a solution to Spain's rural
exodus. According to a report by the Bank of Spain, 42% of the country's towns are affected by depopulation, as more
and more young people leave the countryside to seek better job opportunities in the cities. This phenomenon is
becoming more acute in Castilla y León, where 80% of the municipalities in 14 local provinces are "in danger of
extinction".