Dehesa
Services
Dehesa-Montado Observatory
Dehesa-Montado Observatory
Dehesa-Montado Observatory
Web platform managed by ICMC-CICYTEX with the purpose of offering a space for enquiries and search of up-to-date and centralised information on this ecosystem in order to contribute to the knowledge, feasibility and conservation of the same and to support individuals and all institutions involved in its management by means of the transfer of information and cooperation. For such purpose this cross-border Observatory establishes a cooperation framework between institutions in Extremadura, Andalusia and the central, northern regions of Portugal as well as the Alentejo area, in order to promote and provide added value to dehesas and montados. This Observatory offers the following:
Information and graphical material to provide knowledge on dehesas and montados: characteristics, yields, good practices, pests and diseases.
Daily information and centralised services: news, administrative formalities, legislation, funds and events.
Support for the management and conservation of these ecosystems: projects, library, geoportal, etc.
It also includes a participation module that operates through the new Iberian Network for the Transfer of Knowledge and Innovation in Dehesas and Montados. This Network allows for the voluntary participation of people and institutions associated to dehesas and montados through knowledge exchange.
Counselling on Forestry
The Cork, Wood and Charcoal Institute (an agency affiliated to CICYTEX) provides counselling to proprietors, dehesa managers, forestry engineers and professionals of the industry in general. Counselling is mainly sought for help with management, tree restoration, pest and disease control.
Cove in cork oak
Firing the cork samples
Cove in cork oak
Firing the cork samples
Plan de Calas
The “Plan de Calas” or Cork Quality Field Sampling Plan is a service provided by the Cork, Wood and Charcoal Institute to cork oak grove proprietors and managers, which is a reference for sales operations, as it allows to make estimations on the quality of the cork of the oaks existing in the plots that are to be debarked in each campaign.
PLAN DE CALAS 2021 Campaign, applications open until 31st of May.
Procedure to apply for the “Plan de Calas” service
Should you wish to see previous samples from “Plan de Calas” that are kept in the Cork Samples Collection, please follow this link to download the application form.
“Plan de Calas” consists of the collection of samples from the field by technical personnel from the Institute (experts in plant sampling techniques and cork extraction); and their subsequent analysis at the ICMC laboratories by qualified staff. For the purposes of their study, cork samples are subject to a process that is similar to the process applied in the preparation industry (drying, boiling, trimming, calibrating and sorting).
Based on the study of the samples, the technical experts draft a technical report with an estimation of the cork quality that will be extracted from the plot, following the parameters of the “Q” quality index drafted by ICMC; where the percentage of each type of cork is detailed (following the classification used in the cork sector: thick, good, thin, thinner, reject). Also a comparative analysis is included with the local and regional average quality values, as well as information on the main alterations affecting the cork in the plot: the average calibre and the increased calibre that will be obtained after the cork planks are subjected to the boiling process, amongst other aspects. The report concludes with recommendations for the improvement of the quality of the cork that is in the plot in the middle and long-terms.
Additionally, another forestry report is drafted dealing with the use of the soil, livestock use, the state of health (pests and diseases), assessment of the pruning and debarking process from previous years and recommendation on forestry management approaches.
“Plan de Calas” has a double purpose: reporting on the quality of the cork batch the relevant proprietor intends to sell, even before the debarking process has taken place; and obtaining a series of data for the studies and research projects conducted by ICMC with the purpose of understanding the parameters that indicate the average quality of cork, its distribution (spatial, historical and the factors that determine it) as well as the forestry status of the bushes. Such database, which is updated every year, contributes to inform about the general state of the Extremadura cork oak groves (their health, the use made by the agricultural and livestock farm systems to which they are submitted, forest treatments, details on the growth of trees, production and regeneration status).
“Plan de Calas” is a reference to establish the Selected Stands Network for the cork oaks of the region and it works as an alert system for early detection of diseases and pests. All the samples collected for the “Plan de Calas” are stored in the Institute’s Cork Samples Collection.