La Loma - Spain
Forest restoration and creation
The aim of this project is to restore and maintain a unique ecosystem, the Dehesa, which are agroforestry areas typical of certain regions of Spain and Portugal, generally made up of oaks, in this case cork oaks.
2024 - 2025
Financé
The Dehesa are vast expanses of low-density cork oak forests, which are used for understorey farming, including the rearing of Iberian pigs and the collection of mushrooms, seeds, herbs, game and honey.
In addition, cork is collected, a precious resource for the local economy and a major source of employment.
The habitat of the Dehesa is also incredibly rich, home to rare areas of flora and fauna.
The project is located in the Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park, in a Special Bird Protection Area (ZEPA) and is part of the Natura 2000 network.
In order to perpetuate these atypical cork oak stands, germinating acorns will be harvested from seed trees present on the plots and presenting exceptional characteristics (cork quality, longevity, resistance to insects and fungi). The acorns will be sown at densities sufficient to ensure a number of 4,000 viable trees. This project will be carried out over 5 years. Several techniques for burying and germinating acorns will be used to achieve the desired result. The acorns will be sown on the surface or at greater depths. The acorns can also be germinated in a nursery in order to plant 1 or 2 year old seedlings.
