View source for Dehesa

{{Short description|Multifunctional agro-sylvo-pastoral system}}
{{other uses}}
{{italic title}}
[[File:Dehesa de encinas en invierno.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A dehesa in [[Province of Badajoz|Badajoz]], southwest Spain]]
A '''''dehesa''''' ({{IPA|es|de'esa}}) is a multifunctional, [[agrosylvopastoral]] system (a type of [[agroforestry]]) and cultural landscape of southern and central [[agriculture in Spain|Spain]] and southern [[agriculture in Portugal|Portugal]]; in Portugal, it is known as a '''''montado'''''. Its name comes from the [[Latin]] ''defensa'' (fenced), referring to land that was fenced and usually destined for pasture.<ref>Fra. Paleo (2010)</ref> Dehesas may be private or communal property (usually belonging to the municipality). Used primarily for grazing, they produce a variety of products, including [[non-timber forest product]]s such as [[wild game]], [[Edible mushroom|mushrooms]], [[honey]], [[Cork (material)|cork]], and [[firewood]]. They are also used to raise the [[Spanish fighting bull]] and the source of [[jamón ibérico]], the [[Iberian pig]]. The main tree component is oaks, usually holm (''[[Quercus rotundifolia]]'') and cork (''[[Quercus suber]]''). Other oaks, including melojo (''[[Quercus pyrenaica]]'') and quejigo (''[[Quercus faginea]]''), may be used to form dehesa, the species utilized depending on geographical location and elevation. Dehesa is an anthropogenic system that provides not only a variety of foods, but also wildlife habitat for endangered species such as the [[Spanish imperial eagle]].<ref>Joffre et al. (1999); Huntsinger et al. (2004); McGrath (2007)</ref>
==Ecology==
[[Image:Dehesa2.jpg|thumb|right|Dehesa in [[Extremadura]], Spain]]
The dehesa is derived from the [[Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub|Mediterranean forest ecosystem]], consisting of grassland featuring herbaceous species, used for grazing cattle, goats, and sheep, and tree species belonging to the genus ''Quercus'' ([[oak]]), such as the holm oak ([[Quercus rotundifolia|''Quercus'' ''rotundifolia'']]), although other tree species such as [[beech]] and [[pine trees]] may also be present. Oaks are protected and pruned to produce [[acorn]]s, which the famous [[black Iberian pig]]s feed on in the autumn during the ''montanera''.<ref>Parsons (1962)</ref> Ham produced from Iberian pigs fattened with acorns and air-dried at high elevations is known as ''[[Jamón ibérico]]'' ("[[presunto ibérico]]", or "pata negra" in Portuguese), and sells for premium prices, especially if only acorns have been used for fattening.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 October 2021 |title=Spanish Club Blog - Different Types of Quality of Spanish Hams |url=https://spanishclub.blog/different-types-of-quality-of-spanish-hams/}}</ref>
In a typical dehesa, oaks are managed to persist for about 250 years. If cork oaks are present, the cork is harvested about every 9 to 12 years, depending on the productivity of the site. The understory is usually cleared every 7 to 10 years to prevent the takeover of the woodland by shrubs of the rock rose family ([[Cistaceae]]), often referred to as "''jara''", or by oak seedlings. Oaks are spaced to maximize overall productivity by balancing light for the grasses in the understory, water use in the soils, and acorn production for pigs and game.<ref>Joffre et al. (1999)</ref>
The dehesa is in many ways similar to the [[California oak woodland]], although the former is typically much more intensively managed.<ref>{{cite book | editor-last=Campos | editor-first=Pablo | editor-last2=Huntsinger | editor-first2=Lynn | editor-last3=Oviedo Pro | editor-first3=Jose Luis | editor-last4=Starrs | editor-first4=Paul F | editor-last5=Diaz | editor-first5=Mario | editor-last6=Standiford | editor-first6=Richard B | editor-last7=Montero | editor-first7=Gregorio | title=Landscape Series | chapter=Mediterranean Oak Woodland Working Landscapes | publisher=Springer Netherlands | publication-place=Dordrecht | year=2013 | volume=16 | isbn=978-94-007-6706-5 | issn=1572-7742 | doi=10.1007/978-94-007-6707-2}}</ref>
==Importance and economic context==
[[Image:dehesa cabaneros.jpg|thumb|A dehesa in the [[Montes de Toledo]]]]
The dehesa system has great economic and social importance on the Iberian Peninsula because of both the large amount of land involved and its importance in maintaining rural population levels. The major source of income for dehesa owners is usually [[Cork (material)|cork]], a sustainable product that supports this ancient production system and old growth oaks.<ref>McGrath (2007)</ref>
== Extent ==
Dehesas cover nearly 20,000 square kilometers on the [[Iberian Peninsula]], mainly in:
;Portugal<ref name="op an">{{cite web |url=http://ga2014.fsc.org/opinion-analysis-74.the-dehesas-and-cork-production-today-and-its-alliance-with-fsc |title=FSC® General Assembly 2014 · Opinion & Analysis · The dehesas and cork production today, and its alliance with FSC |website=ga2014.fsc.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108154927/http://ga2014.fsc.org/opinion-analysis-74.the-dehesas-and-cork-production-today-and-its-alliance-with-fsc |archive-date=2014-11-08}} </ref><ref name="moorish 2010">Francisco Manuel Parejo Moorish, 2010</ref>
*[[Alentejo]]
*[[Algarve]]
;Spain<ref name="op an"/><ref name="moorish 2010"/>
*[[Córdoba (Spanish province)|Córdoba]]
*[[Extremadura]]
*[[Salamanca (province)|Salamanca]]
*[[Sierra Morena]]
**[[Sierra de Aracena]]
**[[Sierra Norte de Sevilla]]
==See also==
* [[Cabañeros National Park]]
* [[List of types of formally designated forests]]
* [[Oak savanna]]
* [[California oak woodland]]
* [[Satoyama]]
* [[Silvopasture]]
==References==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist}}
=== Bibliography ===
* [http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-52-en.pdf Fra. Paleo, Urbano. (2010). "The ''dehesa/montado'' landscape".] pp.&nbsp;149–151 in ''Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes,'' eds. Bélair, C., Ichikawa, K., Wong, B.Y.L. and Mulongoy, K.J. Montreal: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Technical Series no. 52.
* Huntsinger, Lynn; Adriana Sulak; Lauren Gwin; and Tobias Plieninger. (2004). "Oak woodland ranchers in California and Spain: Conservation and diversification". In ''Advances in Geoecology'', ed. S. F. A. Schnabel.
* Joffre, R; Rambal, S; Ratte, JP. (1999). "The dehesa system of southern Spain and Portugal as a natural ecosystem mimic," ''[[Journal of Agroforestry]]'' 45(1-3): 57-79.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406043012/http://archive.audubonmagazine.org/features0701/habitat.html McGrath, Susan. (2007). "Corkscrewed,"] ''[[Audubon (magazine)|Audubon magazine]]'', January–February.
== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline|Dehesas}}
*[http://www.uco.es/integraldehesa  Plataforma integralDehesa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210133203/http://www.uco.es/integraldehesa/ |date=2011-02-10 }} - Página web de agentes del sector
*[http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/ifapa/lifebiodehesa/  Proyecto Biodehesa]
*[http://www.foroencinal.es/  Foro encinal]
*[http://www.eweb.unex.es/eweb/accionporladehesa/index.htm  Acción por la dehesa]
*[http://www.dehesasibericas.es/  Dehesas ibéricas]
*[http://observatoriodehesamontado.gobex.es/ Observatorio de la dehesa y el montado]
{{Forestry}}
{{Non-timber forest products}}
[[Category:Natural regions of Europe]]
[[Category:Geography of Spain]]
[[Category:Agriculture in Spain]]
[[Category:Non-timber forest products]]
[[Category:Forestry in Spain]]
[[Category:Agriculture in Portugal]]
[[Category:Geography of Portugal]]
[[Category:Agroforestry systems]]
[[Category:Quercus]]
[[Category:Cultural landscapes]]