Transhumance as a Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Transhumance, an ancient practice that involves the seasonal movement of livestock between different grazing areas, has now been recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This decision was made by the UNESCO committee meeting in Kasene (Botswana) on December 9, 2023. The international candidacy, led by Spain, acknowledges this pastoral modality in Albania, Andorra, Croatia, France, Luxembourg, and Romania, thus joining the recognition already enjoyed by Austria, Greece, and Italy.

The declaration as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognizes not only the cultural value of this livestock practice, which made the subsistence of the peoples who practiced it possible, but also its importance for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems. Transhumance, very present in various countries of the Mediterranean basin, constitutes a manifestation of the respectful interaction between humans and their environment, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources. Moreover, this practice has actively fostered cultural exchange between distant rural communities and the transmission of traditional knowledge between generations, playing a fundamental role in the construction of identity and cohesion of peoples.

In the specific case of Spain, the historical importance of transhumance could be visualized if it were possible to travel back in time to any autumn of the Late Middle Ages or the early Modern Age, to witness the impressive spectacle of millions of heads of transhumant livestock moving from the summer pastures of the Iberian mountains to the winter shelters in Extremadura, Andalusia, or the more benign climate valleys of the interior. For several centuries, transhumant livestock farming was one of the fundamental pillars of the Castilian economy, enjoying strong protection from the Crown and a powerful guild organization, the Honored Council of the Mesta, created in 1273 by Alfonso X the Wise. This allowed shepherds to have privileges and favorable conditions to exploit the territory and produce the highly valued Merino wool, in great demand in European textile centers like the Netherlands and England.

Transhumant livestock farming not only influenced the economy of the Iberian kingdoms but also strongly shaped their landscape, both in maintaining large communal wooded pastures in the summer and wintering areas and in the nearly half a million hectares (about 1% of Spanish territory) reserved for livestock passage in an extensive network of protected corridors and resting areas against plowing and private property. The herds required routes for movement and pastures for feeding, which led to the creation of livestock routes (cañadas, cordeles, veredas, and coladas) that were much more than simple paths and took the form of wide «corridors» up to 90 varas wide (about 75 meters) in the case of the Royal Cañadas. They extended throughout the peninsula, configuring an important reserve of semi-natural surfaces free from being plowed, allowing the survival to this day of Mediterranean pastures, hedges, ponds, and other valuable habitats, even in regions with high agricultural activity.

Transhumance represents a biocultural evolution of the great wild herbivore migrations of the Pleistocene through the adaptive domestication of the landscape, animals, and people. The seasonal movement of the herds provided periods of rest and regeneration for the soils, pastures, and other vegetation, while also ecologically connecting distant natural spaces. Especially, the transport of seeds and other propagules over long distances had significant ecological effects on the Mediterranean landscape.

The described panorama began to change from the 18th century. The loss of the wool monopoly, the emergence of other textiles, and the decline in political favor (culminating in the abolition of the Mesta in 1836) led to the progressive weakening of Merino sheep farming in Spain. By the 20th century, many transhumant shepherds began replacing on-foot movements with the use of rail or truck. This resulted in increased pressure on summer and winter pastures by adding the travel time of the herds to these grazing periods (up to two months a year, in some cases). However, the most drastic consequence of this change in habits was the progressive abandonment of the network of livestock routes in wide regions of Spain, allowing many to be transformed, invaded by other uses, and degraded.

The situation might have reached a point of no return if it weren’t for the growing awareness over the last decades of the past century about the importance of preserving this public heritage. The passage of herds through the center of Madrid, or the creation of the Mesta Council Association, led by naturalist Jesús Garzón, undoubtedly contributed to increasing the concern of Spanish society and its leaders about the situation of transhumance and livestock routes in our country. This concern led to the approval in 1995 of the Livestock Routes Law, marking a turning point in the public administrations’ interest in conserving this heritage. Simultaneously, various scientific studies began, intensifying in the 21st century, highlighting the ecological role of livestock routes, given their capacity to act as biodiversity reservoirs and connectors between natural areas. Livestock routes emerge as a paradigmatic example of multifunctional areas, with livestock, environmental, and public use value. Two previously published Works of the month in the Virtual Museum of Human Ecology (those of April 2022 and January 2023) delve further into the research conducted and the social and ecological value of livestock routes.

The recognition of transhumance as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity underscores the need to protect and promote this traditional livestock practice against modern threats, such as agricultural and livestock intensification, or climate change. Transhumance not only contributes to the rural economy and the preservation of native livestock breeds but also plays a crucial role in maintaining functional ecological corridors, preventing forest fires, and enhancing the climatic resilience of much of the Mediterranean landscapes. UNESCO, by including transhumance in its heritage list, emphasizes the urgency of adopting policies that support transhumant shepherds, conserving existing livestock routes, and ensuring the continuity of this millennial practice and its cultural and adaptive legacy for future generations.

José A. González, Francisco M. Azcárate, Violeta Hevia and César A. López-Santiago are researchers in the Life Cañadas project of the Departamento de Ecología (Ecology Department) at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM, Spain).

More information on transhumance can be found in the materials of the session of December 21, 2022 Shepherds, livestock and landscapes: Ancestral solutions to recover the future, organized at the Cantoblanco campus by the Association for the Study of Human Ecology, the Sustainability Office of the UAM and the Faculty of Sciences of the UAM,  available at the IX Scientific Seminnar of the ASHE.