 Main
theme of the National Forest Resources Service
of Portugal: multipurpose management of
oak forest (pastoralism, hunting, mushroom
gathering, green tourism); forestry improvement
and development centred on the decline of
the main species (cork oak); restoration
of burnt-out areas and wildfire prevention
A management strategy aimed at preserving
biodiversity associated with cork oak
forest in the Serra do Caldeirão
has become a pressing need because the
outstanding value of its natural heritage
depends on the health of the forest ecosystems.
This natural value is clearly illustrated
by the presence of priority species and
habitats as defined by the Habitat Directive.
Moreover, the mountainous regions of
the Algarve have been designated by the
WWF as priority areas in the Mediterranean
zone. The WWF has launched a long-term
conservation project entitled "The
Green Belt in Southern Portugal".
Numbered among the remarkable species
of the region are threatened large predators
such as the Iberian lynx and Bonelli’s
eagle. Their presence represents a touchstone
for the sustainability of the ecosystems:
both species require a patchwork landscape
featuring both oak forests and Mediterranean-type
matorral woodlands (where they can find
shelter as well as open spaces for hunting).
Such a landscape can only be maintained
through the wise management of woodland
ecosystems.
Areas of open woodland made up of oak
species, known as "montado",
also have major economic importance for
the region, in particular for the production
of high quality cork. Such areas constitute
multi-purpose woodland ecosystems.
The aim of this project is to reinforce
the Region’s decision-making ability
in order to promote the suitable and sustainable
management of its woodland resources and
thus enhance the Region’s economic
competitivity. To this end, strategies
for the management of forest networks
will be proposed based on data assembled
thanks to an appropriate forest inventory
and experimental plots.
Involvement of groups of local partners
and stakeholders will continue to be favoured
throughout the project’s life. Their
technical personnel will help in identifying
what information is required to ensure
well-adapted management. They will also
conduct a critical analysis of the development
strategies. The project will also profit
from collaboration with competent professionals
coming from partner countries concerned
by the management of natural resources.
It can hardly be doubted that such exchanges
of experience, allied to the perspectives
of woodland management and planning at
a local, regional and international level,
will bear fruit.
RECOFORME constitutes a project complementary
to others already under way, such as the
Algarve Forest Management Plan and an
Interreg IIIA project on the decline of
the cork and holm oaks. The RECOFORME
project will also bring to light aspects
certain to be of interest to the current
WWF project "The Green Belt in Southern
Portugal".
On site, the project includes five stages:
Definition of the area involved
A zone representative of «montado»
systems will be circumscribed within the
pilot area on the basis of criteria applied
in the previously-mentioned projects already
under way. Recent orthophotography will
be used in delimiting the zone. 60 permanent
plots chosen at random will serve as a
data source for the zone.
Inventory of woodland resources
The inventory of woodland resources will
be carried out on the permanent plots.
The environmental variables reflecting
the plant cover and parameters connected
to habitat will also be measured so that
at a later date a correlation can be established
with the wildlife resource. Trees will
be measured and their state of health
recorded. Need for further information
and for data gathering will be assessed
in conjunction with stakeholders and other
people involved locally. Plant growth
will be monitored at each level of vegetation.
Inventory of biodiversity
The extent of wildlife resources will
be assessed using locally relevant indicators,
of which a sampling of birds will be one
because their reactions to modifications
tend to be reflected throughout the whole
population. The integration of such information
will provide insight into the relation
between woodland management and the conservation
of biodiversity.
The fieldwork carried out in tree stands
will be based on fixed bird-counting dates
in the plots. Counting will take place
twice in the first year and once in the
second. This will facilitate estimations
of the wealth of species, overall abundance,
the value of bird conservation as well
as the relative abundance of selected
species. Such parameters are heavily influenced
by woodland make-up and structure. Thus
they can be used to anticipate how the
management of stands will influence biodiversity.
Analysis of management methods
Analysis of the occupation of the area
will be carried out to determine changes
in management of the zones, taking as
a starting point surveys conducted among
the local population.
Defining strategies for sustainable
development on the basis of information
obtained from the Forest Inventory
The different strategies for the sustainable
development of the "montados"
will be debated in seminars to be held
after the analysis of the results from
the Forest Inventory and from the permanent
plots. Following these discussions and
starting from the data collected, a long-term
strategy for the sustainable management
of the "montado’s" resources
will be defined, taking into account the
combined need for local rural development
and the conservation of natural resources.
The whole methodological process, debate
included, will be monitored by technicians
from local associations and partners in
the RECOFORME project.
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