Other forms of life (Spain): Silently we conserve and through our work the grasses thrive
Other forms of conservation
Currently, over one hundred shepherds, organized in three ‘juntas’ or herders’ associations, have customary rights to pastures which extend up to 40,000 hectares (400 km2). The associations of herders carry with them the traditional ecological knowledge of more than three different communal territories in these highlands, and maintain regulated access to these pastures. And all the livestock breeders living within the municipal term enjoy equitable access to these grasslands. They work collectively together to ensure that these grasslands are not overexploited and the vegetable cover maintained is such that it permits its annual regeneration in a natural way. This way, they conserve the local biological diversity, protect the soils against erosion, and keep the territory productive. Apart from this, it helps the land and its people adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. But above all, it ensures the continuity of the community’s socio-economic systems and gives them a meaningful sense of the lands they live in and depend on. In every way, shepherds here play a central role in the shaping of sustainable and resilient landscapes.