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The Portuguese forest
The Portuguese forest represents 3.5 millions ha of all national territory (2005)
Chart legend
%
Species
23
Eucalyptus sp.
0.1
Acacia sp.
3
Other hardwoods
27
Pinus pinaster
4
Pinus pinea
1
Other pine trees
23
Quercus suber
13
Quercus rotundifolia
5
Other Quercus
1
Chestnut trees
Sorce: http://www.icnf.pt/florestas/ifn/resource/ficheiros/ifn/Apresenta-IFN5-AFN-DNGF-JP.pdf
Native Forest
species examples
The Oak Forest
In Portugal, the oak forest represents 41% of the all forested area and includes several
species
Quercus suber L.
Quercus rotundifolia Lam.
Quercus faginea Lam.
Quercus pyrenaica Willd.
Quercus coccifera L.
Quercus robur L.
Quercus lusitanica Lam.
Quercus canariensis Willd.
Specimens from the LISU Herbarium at MNHNC Botanic Garden, Portugal
The Cork oak and Holm Oak woodlands
The Cork and Holm Oak woodlands cover approximately 1.2 million ha from the central
part of the country, a sparsely populated region called Alentejo with one of the country's
(and the world’s) largest agricultural exports of cork, to the Algarve on the extreme south
of the country. Some non negligible areas can also be included, in the center-east and
northeast region (see maps below). As such, the products from these oak savanna-like
woodlands are the acorn (from Holm oak), herbaceous forage and specific cattle breeds
such as the black iberian pig and the gravanesa cow.
Acorn and cork from Cork oak
Other commercial benefits arrive from charcoal production, cereal crop cultivation, honey
production and wild mushroom picking. Aromatic/medicinal plants are used for industrial
tannins and resin ladano production.
Quercus rotundifolia and Quercus suber distribution in Portugal. Adapted from the
National Forest Authority data. March 2001.
Cork oak (Quercus suber)
Holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia)
In Portugal, the industrial harvest of cork began on the 19th century. In that period selective thinning
and low density cultivation techniques were introduced so that the soil could be used for farming. At
the end of the 19th century, the Portuguese cork oak forests were considered the most well managed
in the world.
Oaks from this ecosystem can grow up to a height of 82 feet and live up to three hundred years,
continuously serving the local populations, who periodically strip the bark of the Cork oak. This unique
bark (cork) protects the tree both from cold winters and from fires in the dry summers, climate
characteristics of the Mediterranean regions. Moreover, Cork oak trees work via biological processes to
modify soil properties in the ecosystem. They enrich the soil in nutrients, attract different types of
animals that promote this kind of modifications, change the soil density and porosity and thereby,
increase the available stored water on the soil.
Traditional methods of understory clearing have been replaced by effective mechanized ploughing. This
aimed to reduce understory fuel and thus the risk of fire exposure and damage.
A typical oak savannah-like woodland landscape is illustrated below:
In these woodlands people use the forest and its biological products in a sustainable way to
ensure the maintenance of the production. It is also the increase on oaks production that is
believed to lead to a reduction in soil erosion in southern Portugal. New and old Oak forests
provide a livelihood for local populations. It is well known that the present and near future
of locals are dependent on the harvesting of cork, on the maintenance of high biodiversity
and functional complexity of these forests.
The Cork oak and Holm Oak woodlands ensure a high biodiversity of wild fauna, including
approximately 53% of Portuguese species of reptiles and amphibians, more than 160 bird
species, and approximately 60% of the Portuguese species of mammals.
Examples of animals commonly found in these woodlands include lizards, snakes, frogs,
buzzards, kites, eagles, owls, magpies, hoopoes, bee-eaters, passerines, cranes in the
winter, rabbits and hares, foxes, weasels, genets, wild boars, deer and some protected
species like the Cabrera's Vole or some bats and bird species.
At the MNHNC Botanic Garden it is possible to visit three native oak species:
Quercus suber
Quercus rotundifolia
Quercus faginea
Scientific name: Quercus suber L.
Family : Fagaceae
Common name: Cork oak tree
Distribution: Endemic of Southwest Europe
(Portugal, southern Spain, southern France, Italy)
and north Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia).
Height : 10-20m
The Cork oak occurred in the Tertiary Era (between the Oligocene and Miocene) during the
formation of the Mediterranean basin, 60 million years ago. In Portugal, Pliocene fossils of this
species were found in the Alentejo (South of Portugal).
It is an evergreen tree. The Cork oak does not grow evenly during the year. In the winter, the
tree canopy stay dormant. In the spring it returns to full activity extending to the end of
summer. In Portugal, flowering happens between April and June and may continue for August
and September.
This oak produces a suberous tissue (the cork) to involve the trunk and branches. This tissue
has regenerative capacity and protects the tree against biotic and abiotic factors (fire) in its
natural habitat. The cork extraction is a very important economic activity in Portugal and the
cork oak is legally protected.
Scientific name: Quercus rotundifolia Lam.
Family : Fagaceae
Common name: Holm oak or Holly oak
Distribution : Native of Mediterranean region
Habitat: Mediterranean forests
Height : 27 m
This oak tree flowers from April to May. The male flowers are
arranged in catkins while the female flowers are arranged in
panicles. The fruits are acorns (big and sweet), used for
animal forage (ex. black Iberian pig). The Holm Oak is an
evergreen tree, with ragged spiny-toothed leaves when young
and serrated leaves in adults.
Scientific name: Quercus faginea Lam.
Family : Fagaceae
Common name: Portuguese oak
Distribution: Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, Morocco and
Algeria.
Habitat: Common in Central and South Portugal.
Height : 20m
The Portuguese Oak is considered capable of recovering
degraded soils and limiting erosion (facilitate the infiltration
of rainfall).
Quercus suber
Quercus rotundifolia
Quercus faginea
Specimens from the LISU Herbarium at MNHNC Botanic Garden, Portugal
Production forests
Examples
Industrial production
forests also occupy a
large area in Portugal
At the MNHNC Botanic
Garden it is possible to
visit:
Pinus pinea L.
Eucalyptus sp.
Pinus pinaster
Pinus pinea
Eucalyptus sp.
Scientific name: Pinus pinea L.
Family : Pinaceae
Common name: Stone pine
Distribution: Mediterranean basin
Habitat: Coastline and dune regions.
Height : 30m
The Stone pine is native from the Portugal coast, opposing
to the Eucalyptus and Maritime Pine.
Use: Construction; Structures and carpentry; Furniture
(Rustic and modeled); Floor coverings (parquet);
Conglomerates (fibers and particles);
The pinion (edible).
The Stone pine at the MNHNC - Botanic
Garden, in Portugal
Eucalyptus at the MNHNC - Botanic
Garden, in Portugal
Scientific name: Eucalyptus sp.
Family : Myrtaceae
Distribution: Australia
Habitat: Tropical forest up to subalpine habitats,
until 1000m of altitude.
Height : 50m
Eucalyptus sp. grows in several soil types with sun exposition. In Portugal, the eucalyptus was
introduced around 1829 due to its characteristics amenable to industrial use, particularly the
paper production.
One of the biggest problems on eucalyptus production is the constant mobilization of the soil,
preventing the development of sub-covered vegetal material due to root competition, because
the fine roots that are never less than 90% of the total length of the roots. This results on an
increased water uptake in the extracts of the soil. Other problem is the monoculture coverage.
A good sustainable management as mixed plantations, can create environments that lead to
the development of fauna and flora.
Scientific name: Pinus pinaster Aiton
Family : Pinaceae
Common name: Maritime pine
Distribution: Southwest Europe and North Africa. Dispersed in the Mediterranean Basin and
Atlantic coasts of the Iberian Peninsula and France.
Habitat: Areas with Atlantic influence and humidity. It occurs naturally from the coastal dunes
up to 1000m of altitude.
Height: 40m
The Maritime pine represents one of the three species that occupy the largest area in
Portugal, with 885 000 hectares. The Maritime pine is the main species currently supplying
the Portuguese sawmill industry, carpentry, chipboard, furniture and pulp.
Threats to Portugal Forest
•Deforestation and habitat destruction (for construction, even though some trees – eg. Oaks are legally protected)
•Deforestation in order to plant exotic productions (ex. Eucalyptus sp. for paper production)
•Fire (increasing probability with global warming)
•Desertification (increasing with global warming)
•Increase of oak illnesses and plagues due to incorrect management during cork extraction
and deep ploughing
•Hunting and prey control (legally not authorized species)
•Increase of cereal crops and modification of spatio-temporal mosaic rotation (fallow lands)
•Increase of intensive agriculture and greenhouse farming
•Increase in the use of agro-chemicals
•Negligible efforts for the recovery and restoration of high-value biodiversity rangelands
•Absence of programs seeking the conversion of Eucalyptus cultivations into natural forest
•Absence of legislation preventing the devastation due to incorrect management practices
•Absence of legislation and control for mushroom and fungi harvesting and use.