Using Business and Biodiversity to put Conservation into practice: The Herdade do Esporão Case...

Using Business and Biodiversity to put Conservation into practice: The Herdade do

Esporão Case study

Maria do Carmo Tavares Silva, Sandra Antunes, Nuno Oliveira & Filipa Gouveia

IUFRO Landscape Ecology International Conference Bragança 2010

Main goals• Biodiversity Action Plan

• ‘Business & Biodiversity’ Philosophy

• Agroforestry model

• Sustainable management and Certification

• In practice…

Whole company engagement, integrating the model into the core strategy


Dam view from the enotourism © AmBioDiv, 2010


MethodologyDefinition of High Conservation Value Areas through Habitat Approach

Habitat A

Sp. Flora A1 Sp. Flora A3Sp. Flora A2 Sp. Flora Ax

ArchitectureStructure

Ecological complexityEcological niche

Reproduction FeedingRefuge Shelter...

Sp. Fauna A1 Sp. Fauna A3Sp. Fauna A2 Sp. Fauna Ax


Types of Land Use

• Vineyards and Olive Groves

• Holm Oak Montado (Parklands)

• Holm Oak Woodlands

• Stone Pine plantations

• Stone Pine plantations with sparse Holm Oak

• Orchid meadows

• Grasslands

• Streamside woodlands and grasslands

• Rosemary scrubland

• Gardens

• Social areas


Vineyards and Olive Groves

• 450 ha of Production area (71 ha biological

production)

• A lack of proper ecological structures was found,

namely habitats for enhancing natural enemies

(biological pest control to reduce the use of

pesticides and insecticides)

• Restoring grassland margins in the Esporão Vineyards

and Olive groves, through ecological restoration of

the set-asides areas and by installing meadow and

grassland patches. In order to reduce tillage, we also

propose the use of grazers, in this case sheep, to

control the weeds

Beetle Banks

Hedges

Briza maxima, Bromus hordeaceus, Cichorium intybus, Coleostephus myconis, Dactylis glomerata, Trifolium stellatum, Lotus hispidus


Holm Oak Montado and Woodlands

• Represents the largest landscape unit of Esporão estate (750 ha)

• Converted through stone pine afflorestation

•Pyro bourgaeanae-Quercetum rotundifoliae woodlands (restricted to streamsides and damp areas)

•Restoration of these areas in order to provide food and shelter for fauna populations, by planting myrtle, rosemary, lavender, edible fig, hawthorn, strawberry tree and elmleaf blackberry species

“Scents of the forest” Project Create habitats for wildlife Restore some degraded areas Possible marketing : tea / condiments

“Sugar in the forest” Project Providing food to the fauna Create habitats for wildlife Restore some degraded areas

Number 1 2 PRESENCE

Inclination (%) 2 3

Orientation N E

Area (m2) 100 100

Coverage (%) 80 75

Species number 10 15

Characteristic species of the association and communities top

Quercus rotundifolia 2 2 2

Pyrus bourgeana 1 1 2

Olea sylvestris 1 - 1

Daphne gnidium - 1 1

Thapsia villosa + - 1

Asparagus acutifolius - + 1

Rubia peregrina - + 1

Companions

Allium massaessylum + + 2

Cytisus scoparius 2 - 1

Rubus ulmifolius - 2 1

Cistus ladanifer 2 - 1

Lavandula luisieri 1 - 1

Tamus communis - 1 1

Fraxinus angustifolia - 1 1

Bryonia dioica - 1 1

Crataegus monogyna - 1 1

Asphodelus ramosus 1 - 1

Dactyllis glomerata - 1 1

Aristolochia paucinervis - 1 1

Osyris alba - + 1

Gynandriris sisyrinchium - + 1

Umbilicus rupestris + - 1IUFRO Landscape Ecology International Conference Bragança 2010

Holm Oak Montado

• Forest Management Plan has been revised;

• Predator control no longer implemented;

• Tree density reduction in pine plantations;

• Minimal tillage;

• Biodiversity Action Plan;

• FSC oriented management (in process of certification).


Stone Pine Plantations and Stone Pine Plantation with sparse Holm oak

Financing afforestation projects was allegedly done to get more land productivity and environmental gains (Biodiversity, carbon, soil…). Due to heavy soil preparation, excessive tillage and excessive tree density the Holm oak trees present in these areas are dying, suggesting that their roots were damaged, destroyed and infected. We suggest progressive removal of all Stone Pine, good management of scrubland and investigating Holm oak decline for further reforestation.


Orchid meadows

• Present in open grasslands and meadows between February and June

•These are managed for low grazing intensity, since they are mainly present in sensitive areas

• Orchid genus Serapias and Ophrys metapopulation reached over 20 individuals, making this a HCVA

•Priority habitat (as listed in the Council Directive 92/43/EEC) if one of the following criteria is observed: rich orchid composition (> 4 species); presence of an important population (> 20 individuals) of one or more orchid species.

Synthetic table of the Phlomido lychnitidis-Brachypodietum phoenicoidis Br. Bl., P. ‐Silva & Rozeira 1956, at edges of tracks, with low inclination, E, 10 m². Characteristics: Phlomis lychnitis 4; Companions: Paronychia argentea 2, Gynandriris sysrinchium 1, Vulpia ciliata 1.


Serapias strictiflora

Serapias lingua

Serapias parvifloraOrchis papilionacea

Orchis laxiflora

Orchis morio

Ophrys tenthredinifera

Seven orchid species

Streamside woodlands and grasslands

Caridade streamsideNumber 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Prese

nceInclination (%) 2 2 3 2 2 3 3

Orientation N N NE E N NE W

Area (m2) 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Coverage (%) 90 100 90 90 90 95 90

Species number 8 6 11 8 15 10 9

Characteristic species of the association and communities top

Fraxinus angustifolia 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 7Crataegus monogyna - - 2 1 2 1 1 5Ranunculus ficaria 1 - 1 - 1 1 1 5Scilla peruviana - - 1 - + 1 - 3Rubus ulmifolius - 1 - - - + - 2Aristolochia paucinervis - - - - 1 - + 2Companions

Nerium oleander 2 3 1 2 1 3 3 7Geranium molle + 1 1 1 1 1 + 7Dactylis hispanica - - 1 1 1 1 1 5Linum bienne 1 - 1 - - - - 2Muscari comosum - 1 - + - + - 3Orobanche mutelii - 1 1 + - - - 3Ornithogalum baeticum - - - + + + - 3Pyrus bourgeana + - - - 2 - - 2Asparagus acutifolius - - - - 1 - + 2Smyrnium olusatrum - - - - 1 - + 2Gynandriris sisyrinchium - - + - 1 - - 2Narcissus bulbocodium - - + - + - - 2Rubia peregrina 1 - - - - - - 1Anagallis arvensis + - - - - - - 1Ophrys tenthredinifera - - - - + - - 1

• Ficario ranunculoidis – Fraxinetum angustifoliae communities

• Rubo ulmifolii – Nerietum oleandri communities

• Typho angustifoliae – Phragmitetum australis)


Cico

nia

nigr

a

Five RELAPE species

Streamside woodlands and grasslands

Ophrys tenthredinifera – CITES CONVENTION

Narcissus bulbocodium – Habitat Directive V,b)Linaria spartea – European endemism

Genista polyanthos – Iberian endemism

Narcissus jonquilla - Iberian endemism


The amphibian populations are not settled

"So... Caridade stream is a Biodiversity Paradise?”

• The european otter (Lutra lutra) and some waterfowl are increasingly feeding on the crayfish

• Through a flow management strategy which will change the hydrologic trends, in concern to the continuing decline in water levels

• High populations of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

• Low input of water from the dam discharge

Not so far… unfortunately there are some facts to be solved…"

How can we solve this??


Rosemary scrubland

• Pollination ecosystems service• Provide stepping-stone corridors to many species of invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians and birds

Lavandula stoechas L.What will be done to this habitat?

• Land managers will minimize grazing intensity

• Pollination services will be measure, in order to measure its ecosytemic value

•Also, the maintenance of these habitats tend to safeguard and enhance pollination function in order to ensure effective pollination of wild plants - specially orchids species


Ecotourism

• Birdwatching, butterfly-watching…;

• Trails in the ‘Montado’ and around the Caridade stream banks experiencing the beautiful landscapes and thriving wildlife;

• The Flower Trail - observation of orchids, wild tulips, etc.;

• Bike tours and drives through pre-defined trails within the estate;


• Ecological evaluation of vine and olive groove’s natural enemies – Crop Protection

• Selection of test areas for the organic vineyard – 71 ha

• Selection of test areas for the organic olive grooves – 8 ha

• Forest and wetland Biodiversity assessment (fauna, flora and habitats);

• Concerning butterflies, almost as many species confirmed as the fauna known for all the Alentejo (regional hotspot);

• Initializing restoration programs of Holm Oak ‘Montado’ and woodlands.

Done so far…


Work in Progress:Management guidelines :

VINEYARDS

Installation of ecological infrastructures - beetle-banks; Installation of nest and breeding boxes for birds as well as bat boxes; Restoration of 4 ecological degraded areas; Monitoring of pests and natural enemies in the organic test areas.

OLIVE GROOVES Installation of ecological infrastructures - beetle-banks; Monitoring of pests and natural enemies in the organic production plots.


Wetland Management Actions :

• Restoring wetlands;

• Create protection buffers around the waterbodies;

• Restoring margins and banks;

• Habitat monitoring trough the use of bioindicators such as invertebrates (butterflies, damselflies and dragonflies), amphibians and flora;

• Use of bridges to avoid car crossing in streams;

• Involvement of land owners across the stream bank in the conservation plan.

Work in Progress:



THANK YOU

AmBioDiv ~ Valor NaturalAmbiente, Conservação da Natureza e Sustentabilidade, Lda.

R. Filipe da Mata, 10, 1º Frente, 1600-071 LisboaTel.: 217 975 132; Fax: 217 979 141

www.ambiodiv.com; [email protected]

http://www.ambiodiv.com/

mailto:[email protected]

Using Business and Biodiversity to put Conservation into practice: The Herdade do Esporão Case...

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Transcript of Using Business and Biodiversity to put Conservation into practice: The Herdade do Esporão Case...