“The value of your pastures” workshop shares biodiversity knowledge about agroforestry and livestock systems of the region
On the 26th of April, took place another training action for +SOLO +VIDA, promoted by ADPM-Mértola and the partners NBI-Natural Business Intelligence and Cooperativa Agrícola do Guadiana.
Attentive to the plants present in the soil and in a challenge to their botanical identification. More than 30 participants of the 4th free workshop “The value of your pastures” learnt the flora species associated with different agroforestry and livestock systems, that occurs in the Parque Natural do Vale do Guadiana
At Monte do Vento there were clovers, thistles, margaça, chamomile, labaça and many other spontaneous plants. Paulo Pereira (NBI) explained the role of this plants in nature and in vegetative succession, explaining also their function for the recovery of biodiversity in degraded soils.
After we visited a pilot area included in the LIFE Desert-Adapt Project to learn about the importance of other plants in the context of extensive agroforestry and livestock production with sheep. Many of common plant species can be a bio-indicator of conservation status of a pasture.
It was also possible to demonstrate the positive effects of measures to combat desertification and to adapt to climate change. Some examples were, direct sowing of permanent pastures (with minimal soil mobilization) and adaptive management of grazing.
João Madeira (Cooperativa Agrícola do Guadiana) explained the economic value that certain species can represent for livestock feed, being beneficial for the farmer.