Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

V. Núñez et al. 2010. Landscape integration of Mediterranean reforestations: identification of best practices in Madrid region
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preferences; ii) synthesis of principles and criteria for landscape integration of Mediterranean
reforestations; iii) Definition of detailed landscape criteria, both qualitative and quantitative, for
reforestation design, species selection, soil preparation and protection of the reforestation area.
3. Results
We identified the following list items that must be taken into account for new mediterranean
reforestation design. Understanding these factors, the interactions between them, and how they
are influenced by stand management is essential in order to provide guidance to reforestation
design under visual and landscape ecology criteria.
We applied this methodology to Madrid Region reforestations. Field visits were made
throughout the forests and managers were interviewed. As a result we typified 30 best practices
that may be of use for reforestation in the Mediterranean region.
3.1. Main relationships of forest landscape with biodiversity, connectivity and public
preferences.
1. Forest landscape and biodiversity
Mosaic structure
Stand structure
Deadwood and large trees
Minimum dynamic area (Pickett and Thompson 1978) or independent
forest size
2. Forest landscape and connectivity:
Size of isolated patches
Edges geometry and size
Matrix and patches pattern
3. Forest landscape and public preferences
Aesthetic preferences
Time factor
Spatial activities distribution
3.2. Synthesis of principles and criteria for landscape integration of reforestations in
the Mediterranean region
Principles
1. Multiscale approach to reforestation design
2. Try to match up aesthetic and ecological criteria
3. Take into account public preferences
4. Try to simulate nature when designing reforestation
5. Mask inevitable negative landscape impacts
Criteria for external landscape: broad-scale approach
1. Avoid fragmentation and improve ecosystem connectivity
2. Increase biodiversity by species introduction
3. Mitigate the visual impacts of reforestation boundary
4. Adapt lineal structures to the terrain
5. Fit reforestation activities to landscape scale
Criteria for internal landscape: small-scale approach
1. Protect riversides and shores
2. Design reforestation edges with gradual slope
3. Preserve or create gaps in forest cover
4. Preserve large and dead trees
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.