Introduction
This is the maritime or "resinero" pine. It is a tree with a straight, red-coloured trunk. Pyramid-shaped when it is young. It can grow up to 30m tall. The leaves are very thick and the large, conical pine cones grow in groups of 2 or 3 stuck directly onto its branches. It also likes sandy, acid soil. This is the fastest-growing pine and it has an estimated lifespan of 300 years. It is used to repopulate forests after fires. The wood is low quality and is used for fruit boxes or boards although it is currently used for biomass (kindling for fires). Pine cones are very valued for lighting fires as they burn without going out. In other parts of the peninsula they are used to extract turpentine. A lengthwise cut is made that goes to the central wood of the trunk (the hard timber or wood) and the liquid is channelled to a container which is positioned at the bottom of the cut. The turpentine is distilled and the essence or turpentine is separated from the residue which is actually resin. It is used in chemical industries as a varnish and in the perfume industry. After the Coll de Portes, already on the way back down, we pass through another plantation of this type of pine tree.