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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The gathered results from population and agricultural census of the past
decades have demonstrated a significant decrease of the inhabitants of the North‐
Eastern mountain regions of Portugal. This depopulation has been reflected in rural
activity and particularly in extensive grazing systems. As a result of the rural areas
abandonment, the previously compartmentalized landscape by mosaic agroforestry,
where agricultural fields were alternated with forest, shrublands and pastures,
currently appears dominated by tall shrubs or burned areas with representative
dimensions. This situation leads us to ask about the current context of the
agrosilvopastoral activity and what are their prospects for the future. The demand for
such responses have originated a series of studies focused on those territories, to
assess the constraints and motivations of shepherds who have remained here and
those who have emigrated and have already come back. These approaches include
interviews with shepherds and the survey/registration of traditional grazing paths,
namely, in the Natura 2000 Network Sites of Alvão/Marão Mountains, Montemuro
Mountain, Morais/Azibo, Montesinho/Coroa /Nogueira and Douro International. From
the socioeconomic point of view, the low yields from agriculture, given the poor
valorisation of its products; the low productivity of the systems; the great demand for
hand labour; and the aging population, were identified as some of the factors that
have contributed to that decline. However, many of the shepherds, who have come
back, highlight advantages of the used traditional pastoralism, when compared with
other labour activities practiced as migrants. Others, having taken advantage of new
learning, have tried to implement new agrosilvopastoral models. Nowadays, the
mountain grazing systems, despite its regression, seem to be renewing. They do not
have a single standard, but include a diversity of situations. However, besides they are
still insufficient for an adequate landscape management, it is important to know about
their sustainability.
Description
Keywords
Agroforestry systems
Citation
Torres‐Manso, Filipa; Marta‐Costa, Ana; Castro, Marina; Tibério, Manuel (2016). Agroforestry systems in North‐Eastern mountains of Portugal: a portrait in the transition for the XXIst century. In I International Conference on Research for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions: book of abstracts. ISBN 978-972-745-214-9
Publisher
Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO)