Assessment of the Extent of Agroforestry Systems in Europe and Their Role Within Transhumance Systems

Abstract

Agroforestry systems are unevenly distributed across Europe and are often linked to transhumance, the seasonal movement of stock which is widely in decline. Whilst the high biodiversity associated with traditional agroforestry is widely recognised, the ecology of modern systems is less well understood. The inherent nature of the agroforestry systems means that it is necessary to know the characteristics of both the tree canopy and of the crop or ground cover beneath. Field visits are therefore essential, not only to determine the presence of agro-forestry systems, but also to obtain measurements of their extent and detailed characteristics. A worked example is given for Atlantic Europe of a procedure that could be extended to the whole of Europe, demonstrating how eventually local figures could be used to produce a Europe-wide ecological resource assessment. Such European estimates are a primary requirement for determining an appropriate EU policy for their maintenance. The Driving forces, Pressures, State, Impact, Response (DPSIR) framework has then been applied to the identification and characterisation of habitats threatened by the decline in transhumance. These include agroforestry systems, the most widespread of which are the dehesas and montados (Spain and Portugal respectively), which contain functioning networks of mature silvoarable habitats with well established high levels of biodiversity in both flora and fauna. Transhumance has declined substantially over the last two centuries and there are now relatively small areas of silvopastoral systems which still depend on the practice; in the Iberian Peninsula, the south of France, Italy and Greece. Extensive areas of these systems remain, but they are only used for grazing by local communities.