Flagship projects

Forests host exceptional biodiversity and provide essential ecosystem services, ranging from carbon sequestration to disease regulation. Yet, deforestation, overexploitation, and anthropogenic pressures are weakening their resilience and fostering the emergence of health risks. In this context, the "One Health" approach—linking human, animal, and environmental health—offers a relevant framework to understand the interactions between forest health and human health. The SALUD project aims to explore these connections by studying the impacts of biodiversity and forest management history on two major issues: tick-borne diseases and fire risk. Thus, the project seeks to fill this gap by investigating how human activities, particularly forest management, affect forest ecosystem health and their potential repercussions on human health, such as the emergence of zoonotic diseases or wildfire risks.