Fire opposite Semilla Besada 2000
Surprisingly, the Mediterranean is ranked third in the world as a fire-risk area. Why is this? Unfortunately, as rural areas are abandoned or grazing animals are no longer used, dead vegetation simply builds up and becomes fire fuel. There is the popular belief that if things are ‘left to nature’ then that plant material will break down providing fertility for the ultimate establishment of trees. This may be the tendency in temperate and tropical environments, but in dryland areas this is not the case. In fact, leaving dead vegetation to build up on the soil surface without any animal impact simply provides a suffocating mat of material through which little can grow. As wind and rain eventually break this debris down, all that will be beneath will be bare soil. Bare soil is dead soil. It will continue to be eroded by the elements, providing an inhospitable environment for plants to establish above ground, or soil microbes to survive below ground. The net result is a desert.
Using grazing animals in a holistically planned way can ensure that this does not happen. At Semilla Besada, a flock of sheep prevent the build up of dead vegetation, help build soil fertility and provide both meat and fleece.
Aspen signing off in anticipation of rain and in the hope of the last of this year’s fire risk.
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