Looking Back to the Future: Ancient, Working Pollards and Europe’s Silvo-Pastoral Systems

Butler, Jill

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6159-9_25

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 2 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Today, the biota associated with old and/or hollow trees finds refuge mainly in orchards, alleys, parks, pasture woodlands and game reserves rather than in intensively managed forest and agricultural landscape, or strict forest reserves [26], [45]. The importance of such man-made habitats is especially emphasized for the noble chafer beetle Gnorimus nobilis [46], [47] and for Osmoderma eremita [48].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Active Management the Key to the Conservation of Saproxylic Biodiversity? Pollarding Promotes the Formation of Tree Hollows

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Trees with hollows are key features sustaining biodiversity in wooded landscapes. They host rich assemblages of often highly specialised organisms. Hollow trees, however, have become rare and localised in Europe. Many of the associated biota is thus declining or endangered. The challenge of its conservation, therefore, is to safeguard the presence of hollow trees in sufficient numbers. Populations of numerous species associated with tree hollows and dead wood are often found in habitats that were formed by formerly common traditional silvicultural practices such as coppicing, pollarding or pasture. Although it has been occasionally mentioned that such practices increase the formation of hollows and the availability of often sun-exposed dead wood, their effect has never been quantified. Our study examined the hollow incidence in pollard and non-pollard (unmanaged) willows and the effect of pollarding on incremental growth rate by tree ring analysis. The probability of hollow occurrence was substantially higher in pollard than in non-pollard trees. Young pollards, especially, form hollows much more often than non-pollards; for instance, in trees of 50 cm DBH, the probability of hollow ocurrence was ∼0.75 in pollards, but only ∼0.3 in non-pollards. No difference in growth rate was found. Pollarding thus leads to the rapid formation of tree hollows, a habitat usually associated with old trees. It is therefore potentially a very important tool in the restoration of saproxylic habitats and conservation of hollow-dependent fauna. If applied along e.g. roads and watercourses, pollarding could also be used to increase landscape connectivity for saproxylic organisms. In reserves where pollarding was formerly practiced, its restoration would be necessary to prevent loss of saproxylic biodiversity. Our results point to the importance of active management measures for maintaining availability, and spatial and temporal continuity of deadwood microhabitats.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Active Management the Key to the Conservation of Saproxylic Biodiversity? Pollarding Promotes the Formation of Tree Hollows

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The persistence of this species is based on economic considerations (summer fodder when green) and identity. Along these lines, in recent years, incentives have been introduced to maintain and promote this practice (accesed on 6 September 2022: https://www.elboalo-cerceda-mataelpino.org/2022/10/26/fiestadel-trasmocho-2022/), in accordance with the experiences in other sectors in the Iberian peninsula [92] and central Europe [93][94][95][96].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

López-Estébanez,

Molina-Holgado,

Allende Álvarez

2024

Heritage

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the continental Mediterranean mountains of the Iberian Peninsula is located a landscape characterized by the presence of enclosed land parcels delimited by dry stone walls or vegetation, or by both these elements. This landscape has been included, since 2018, in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the name of Art of dry stone walling, knowledge and techniques. However, today’s territorial dynamics jeopardize the maintenance of this landscape heritage. This work set out to understand their origins, dynamics, and evolution from the 11th century (Middle Ages) to the present using historical documentation from different sources and diachronic cartography from aerial photographs. The fieldwork was designed to identify natural, cultural features and recent dynamics, in particular those related to urbanization changes of the last 70 years. Finally, we delved into the new dynamics of exploitation that were based on extensification and a loss of productive diversity. The results obtained lead us to consider that the loss of this agro-landscape must be prevented, with a reasonable livestock grazing criteria and a rational management of its heritage features. This requires regional, national, and European policies that recognize the enclosed landscape as a heritage ecosystem in which biodiversity and agriculture are closely linked.

show abstract

Looking Back to the Future: Ancient, Working Pollards and Europe’s Silvo-Pastoral Systems

Cited by 2 publications

References 2 publications

Is Active Management the Key to the Conservation of Saproxylic Biodiversity? Pollarding Promotes the Formation of Tree Hollows

Is Active Management the Key to the Conservation of Saproxylic Biodiversity? Pollarding Promotes the Formation of Tree Hollows

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

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About