Pollard Forest ofFraxinus angustifoliain the Centre of Iberian Peninsula: Protection and Management

Abstract

The activity of pollarding Fraxinus angustifolia L. is one of the most singular in the Guadarrama piedmont, Madrid. This treatment generates a patrimonial landscape of great interest and identity. The main aims of this work are to determine the surface covered by Fraxinus angustifolia L.; its conservation state and structure; the main variables that influence its distribution; and the elaboration of a typology. We start with the historical construction of these forests (from the eleventh century until the present moment). Some of them are excellent examples of pollard forests, thanks to the traditional regulations based on regional codes and byelaws and on a rational exploitation from some owners. Then, we analyse the physical determinants of this forest distribution. We establish a typology in which we consider the surface soil moisture, accompanying species, slope, morphostructural unit and type of property. Fraxinus angustifolia L. is, due to its narrow dependence of the existence of water, an indicator species of climate change and therefore vulnerable to the increase in temperatures and its consequences. Furthermore, its value as cultural heritage and the need for its conservation for its silvicultural values are highlighted.

Preserving the Values of Mediterranean Enclosed Fields with Dry Stone Walls, an Example of Vulnerable Natural and Rural Heritage

“…The elements of the landscapes with cultural value were identified and classified based on fieldwork and previous studies [16,74]. The types of enclosure (dry stone wall, dry stone wall with arboreal vegetation, and dry stone wall covered by multiple strata of vegetation), the types of access (traditional gates, access through gates made with artificial materials, and modern gates that preserve the traditional forms), and the elements of patrimonial nature and identity in the landscape were analyzed.…”

“…The differences in the presence of these taxa were established from a territorial point of view: northeastern sector, Somosierra; central sector of the Guadarrama mountains and their foothills; and the southwestern sector of the Guadarrama mountains. This information was complemented with data from our previous studies [16,75].…”

“…As such, the species traditionally used by the local communities in different applications were identified. The sources used were the Spanish Inventory of Traditional Knowledge relative to Biodiversity (IECTB) [80] and our previous studies [16,53]. Another source of information to estimate the patrimonial value of this landscape was the selection of artwork and of other artistic formats attributed to Spanish Masters that represent this agricultural landscape and/or the elements that contribute to these landscapes.…”

“…Moreover, fenced landscapes are a representative element of some of the places recognized by the FAO as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHSs), such as Barroso (Portugal, 2018) or Montaña de León (Spain, 2022). Special mention must also be made of the agro-ecological value of these spaces in agrosystems [12,[16][17][18], not least through their contribution to landscape heterogeneity, biotic connectivity, and species richness [19,20].…”

“…This subtype is found in several countries of the Mediterranean basin, including Croatia, Cyprus, southern France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, southern Portugal, and Spain, and aspects of these landscapes have been studied in some depth in Italy [40], Greece [41], Croatia [42][43][44], Slovenia [45,46], and Portugal [31]. To date, most of the studies carried out in the Spanish Mediterranean area have focused on the northwest [47,48] and northeast areas of the peninsula [49], although some research in the central territories has been carried out from an ecological standpoint [50], or focusing on the historical evolution, natural and cultural features, and their territorial dynamics [16,21,[51][52][53][54][55][56].…”