Adehesa (Spanish pronunciation:[de'esa]) is a multifunctional,agrosylvopastoral system (a type ofagroforestry) and cultural landscape of southern and centralSpain and southernPortugal; in Portugal, it is known as amontado. Its name comes from theLatindefensa (fenced), referring to land that was fenced and usually destined for pasture.[1] Dehesas may be private or communal property (usually belonging to the municipality). Used primarily for grazing, they produce a variety of products, includingnon-timber forest products such aswild game,mushrooms,honey,cork, andfirewood. They are also used to raise theSpanish fighting bull and the source ofjamón ibérico, theIberian 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 theSpanish imperial eagle.[2]
The dehesa is derived from theMediterranean forest ecosystem, consisting of grassland featuring herbaceous species, used for grazing cattle, goats, and sheep, and tree species belonging to the genusQuercus (oak), such as the holm oak (Quercusrotundifolia), although other tree species such asbeech andpine trees may also be present. Oaks are protected and pruned to produceacorns, which the famousblack Iberian pigs feed on in the autumn during themontanera.[3] Ham produced from Iberian pigs fattened with acorns and air-dried at high elevations is known asJamón ibérico ("presunto ibérico", or "pata negra" in Portuguese), and sells for premium prices, especially if only acorns have been used for fattening.[4]
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.[5]
The dehesa is in many ways similar to theCalifornia oak woodland, although the former is typically much more intensively managed.[6]
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 usuallycork, a sustainable product that supports this ancient production system and old growth oaks.[7]
Dehesas cover nearly 20,000 square kilometers on theIberian Peninsula, mainly in:
Media related toDehesas at Wikimedia Commons
| Animal products | |
|---|---|
| |
| Edible plants / roots | |
| Mushrooms | |
| |
|
|
| Resins | |
| Sap / gum / etc. | |
| Other | |
| Related | |
