Most of Galicia has an ocean climate humid and temperate, so in this area the potential vegetation is Atlantic broadleaved mixed forest. Fragas are part of this forest as relic fragments.
Their characteristics is to be quite natural even if they had been strongly modified by human action. Typically forest species that can be found in Fragas are Atlantic oak, chestnut and hazelnut mixed with other shrub species.
When well-preserved, these forests are dense, with closed canopy and soils rich in humus. Nowadays, Fragas take up small areas, spread out and inaccessible. In order to prevent their deterioration, most of Fragas had been included in nature reserves or in Natura 2000 network.

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In Galicia, maritime pine was used for reforestation since the XVIIIth century. Consequently, it had become a main element of Galicia coastal landscape for last 300 years.
Until the 50's, forest-owner had mainly chosen maritime pine as forestation species. Later it was partly replaced by radiata pine and eucalyptus because of their higher productivity and also the eucalyptus better behaviour after a forest fire. Currently, maritime pine is the most extended forest species in Galicia with two different ecotypes, coastal and interior.
According to last forest survey monospecific stands represent 389 489 ha and mixed stands with eucalyptus or broad-leaved species represent 243 735 ha, that is all in all 44% of the Galicia forested area. Maritime pine extends by both natural regeneration or plantation. Wood pine is mainly used for boardmilling and sawmilling (joinery, frame, packaging,…). In 1999, regional pine harvest was 2 308 293 m3, that represented 39% of total harvest.

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Eucalyptus is one of the world´s most widely used trees by forest industry. Among the more than 500 different species of Eucalyptus, white eucalyptus (E. Globulus) was introduced in Galicia in the middle of the XIXth century. It was rapidly planted all over the north coast side of Spain. Origninally introduced for botanical and ornamental purposes, it soon proved to be well adapted for local forest conditions and wood production. Its sensitivity to cold and frost limited its extension to coastal and low-lying areas. Nevertheless other eucalyptus species, adapted to these climatic conditions, had been tested and introduced on a smaller scale.
The usual production systems involve tree planting in the first rotation and shoot or sprout selection in the next two rotations. The rotation length is between 12 and 15 years and intensive silviculture is applied during that time. The average yield is around 15-20 m3/ha, although it is not unusal to find 30m3/ha or greater for better quality sites. Current tree breeding and technical improvement programs, may result in improved practices. Because of exceptional high productivity the eucalyptus forests have become an important source of income for rural domestic economies in the area. The great majority of wood production is used by pulp industry, although present development and improvements in the eucalyptus wood technology may open the door to future uses such as sawn timber.

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