Resin extraction

Harvesting pine resin dates back to Gallo-Roman times in Gascony.

In Gascony, and to a lesser extent in Provence, pine-tapping was practiced as a form of sharecropping, although uncertain status of the workers sometimes led to labor disputes.

Although almost abandoned during the 20th century, in Spain it has experienced something of a resurgence.

which promotes forestry in Spain and its industry including Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFP) which in the Mediterranean region includes, resins, as well as cork, berries, nuts, and mushrooms, among many others.

Resin is usually collected by causing minor damage to the tree by making a hole far enough into the trunk to puncture the vacuoles, to let sap exit the tree, known as tapping, and then letting the tree repair its damage by filling the wound with resin.

Tapped pine in the Pays de Buch