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Reforestation / restoration project

Tapada do Castelo is a protected wildlife site undergoing a large project of restoration and reforestation.

We are at the initial stage of this project, defining the content, planning and implementation.

The project involves:

  • Monitoring of the flora ad fauna on the land
  • Definition of the projects phases (design) and planning
  • Implementation of the project phases
  • Documentation of each phase of the project
  • Sharing of the project

Introduction

Tapada do Castelo is a 2,7ha protected piece of land in Central Portugal Alentejo, in the National parc of Serra Sao Mamede.

The land is made of 3 parcels separated by dry stones walls and 4 zones with particular ecosystems. Each zone has a particular vegetation cover, some plants are commun (see image below)

Zone 1: Restoration open forest area

Avril 2022
April 2022: lot’s of ferns
April 2022

Zone 2: Young oak trees forest

June 2022 : Young cork oak trees (quercus suber) pathway
June 2022 : big oak tree (quercus pyrenaica)
June 2022 Chestnut (castanea sativa)

Zone 3: Open fields with some young oak and cork oak trees

March 2022 dry and poor rocky soil cover (high end point of the zone)
June 2022 : a meadow of wild flowers (high point of the zone)

Zone 4 : Chestnut trees forest

May 2022 : an abundant green flora among old chestnut trees

Preliminary project idea’s (to be evaluated)

The main restoration area will be in zone 1, with some zone that might stay untouched

The zone 2 is a already advanced reforested area but with not much variety of trees and flora. We want to bring a higher variety of native trees that used to be here (quercus robur, quercu ilex, quercu faginea, including high canopy that was cut to build ships in the past (fagus sylvatica or beech tree and others to be identified). This zone has a veggie patch on its low end, and will have a wind break made of eatable plants based hedge (loads of berries, elder trees and maybe (?) some mulch chop/down trees that might not be endemic (tagasaste…).

The zone 3 will be mainly dedicated to growing a abundant fruit and nut based food forest in addition of current oak and cork oak young native trees already growing, having a wind break eatable plants based edge as well to protect baby trees growth from heavy winds.

The zone 4 will remain mainly untouched

Monitoring of the flora and fauna on the land

This requires to be trained. We will identify the local flora and fauna and document it each year (by season) passing by to observe the change over the years. Some of the plants present in 2022 are (pending): …

Jasione montana L. (Baton-azul, Campunulaceae) abondant en zone 3, et courant en zone 2
Cistus salviifolius L. (Saganho-mouro, Cistaceae) abondant en zone 1, et courant en zone 2
Andryala integrifolia L. (alface-dos-montes, Asteraceae) abondant en zone 1, fréquant en zone 2
Pissenlits
Fougères, abondantes en zone 1, courantes en zone 2, éparse en zone 3
Asparagus acutifolius L. (Corruda, Asparagaceae), courante en zone 1, commune en zone 2

Definition of the project phases (design) and planning

  • Analysis of the soil
  • Defining corrective actions to amend the soil in each zone
  • Defining reforestation approach, including selection and sourcing of native trees and vegetation to be planted by zone
  • Select and source native and local fruit trees and others for the food forest (zone3)
  • Implement planting and irrigation process
  • Implement
  • Follow up

Implementation of the project phases

To be defined

Documentation of each phase of the project

Format to be defined according to scientific standards. This requires training as well.

Sharing of the project

Format to be defined.