Forests for People

[

] 67

larly favoured by the open spaces, which provide opportunities

for hunting, while the edges and fringes provide the shelter for

prey and old trees provide nesting conditions. Cork oak stands

are predominantly irregular, old trees remaining on the field with

plenty of hollows that provide habitat for many species, not only

of birds but also of reptiles as well.

Through the different

facies

of the montado, over 60 species

of breeding birds occur (of which 40 are Passeriformes), over 20

mammals and more or less the same number of reptiles and amphib-

ians. If the variety and abundance of top predators is to be taken as a

good indicator of the structure of an ecosystem, the number of birds

of prey is especially impressive, as they are more visible. Studies

in Portugal indicate that some of the montados host more than 10

different species of breeding birds of prey, with a density of 60 to

80 couples per 100 km

Although stands are typically of low density and volume increment

is very low, the carbon stock in these systems can be significant,

mainly in the soil pool due to the long period of retention.

Sustainable management of cork oak stands

The protection and expansion of forests and, in particular, of cork

oak forests, has been a concern over centuries. The first records

of legal measures to protect forests in the country date back to

the middle of the 7th century. This, however, did not prevent the

consistent shrinking of the forest area, as the population increased

and more land was needed for agriculture. Later, the Age of

Discovery increased overseas navigation and trade, requiring more

wood for the shipping industry. The forest area reached a minimum

in the 19th century, when stronger legislation was put

into force on what could be seen as the first package

of forest policy measures. Nevertheless, the situation

started to reverse only around 1900, when the afforesta-

tion programmes started to show results.

Cork oak has been protected by law since 1927. Only

in certain cases where it is judged to be in the public

interest is it possible to cut a stand of cork oak, and rules

concerning the debarking operation, for instance, have

not changed much since then. In fact, the most recent

legislation (2001) has its roots in that first legal docu-

ment. The coexistence of forests and agriculture led to

the need to adapt practices to overcome some prob-

lems. Research and experimentation, combined with

traditional knowledge, made it possible to define a set

of best practices designed to safeguard the sustainability

of these ecosystems. And as interregional cooperation

is fundamental, a broad set of actors, including forest

owners’ associations, the National Forest Authority,

the National Forest Research Station and universities,

worked together to develop a Good Practice Guide for

cork oak stands.

Among these good practices, we emphasize the

non-use of deep ploughing, the use of methods to

control weeds that do not damage the roots and the

management of livestock so as to ensure that the

regeneration of forest stands and soil conservation is

assured. The Good Practice Guide is intended mainly

Cork is left to dry for several months before being transported for stopper

manufacturing

Portugal’s montados sustain a wide range of fauna as well as trees

Image: Fernando Lopes