Organization
Fundación Global Nature
El Baldio
Type of ecosystem
Grass strips
Working group
WG 2: Scientific
Location
Talaván (Cáceres)
Site manager
Foundation Global Nature bought the land more than 25 years ago and has been under its exploitation since then. It is managed and coordinated by the staff of the foundation´s agri-environmental branch, who manage the farm, not only for the normal farming activities but also all the research activities.
Purpose of the experimentation
Due to the continuous grazing and presence of livestock over the past years, and due as well to short and not enough resting time of the soil, the area has a high percentage of poor and empty soil, with a lack of proper and continued cover. The vision of this project is to restore the dehesa status within the exploitation.
The target is to recover the previous situation of the land, prior to the continuous grazing and the traditional management over-labored.
The goals are the increase of the quality and the quantity of pasture, then the area needed per food ration will be reduced; at the same time the soil is much more covered and the hydric erosion is reduced.
The target is to recover the previous situation of the land, prior to the continuous grazing and the traditional management over-labored.
The goals are the increase of the quality and the quantity of pasture, then the area needed per food ration will be reduced; at the same time the soil is much more covered and the hydric erosion is reduced.
List of species sown
Ornithopus sativus
Lotus corniculatus
Medicago polymorfa
Medicago lupulina
Trifolium repens
Trifolium alesandrinum
Trifolium hirtum
Trifolium subterraneum
Lolium rigidum
Lolium perenne
Dactilo glomerata
Festuca ovina
Poa pratensis
Bromus sp
Lotus corniculatus
Medicago polymorfa
Medicago lupulina
Trifolium repens
Trifolium alesandrinum
Trifolium hirtum
Trifolium subterraneum
Lolium rigidum
Lolium perenne
Dactilo glomerata
Festuca ovina
Poa pratensis
Bromus sp
Protocol
The area that has been used for the native seeds pilot plot takes approximately 4ha, however with the presence of trees the total sowing area is about 2,2ha.
The preparation of the land for sowing consisted of several steps:
- Ploughing to remove the remains of other species and leave the soil ready for sowing. Harrowing after the rains to open the land.
- The soil has been fertilized with manure. Have been spread 6 trailers of manure +1 trailer approximately in shovels, due to the difficulties of the terrain
Each trailer is 6tn of manure -> 7x6= 42Tn, 42Tn/2,2ha = 19Tn/ha approx.
- Additionally, 2 bags of organic phosphorus at 27% have been added to improve the soil, being evenly spread.
1 bag = 600kg, so 2 x 600 = 1200kg, between the 4ha, it is about 300kg/ha.
The recommended amount is about 250kg/ha.
The preparation of the land for sowing consisted of several steps:
- Ploughing to remove the remains of other species and leave the soil ready for sowing. Harrowing after the rains to open the land.
- The soil has been fertilized with manure. Have been spread 6 trailers of manure +1 trailer approximately in shovels, due to the difficulties of the terrain
Each trailer is 6tn of manure -> 7x6= 42Tn, 42Tn/2,2ha = 19Tn/ha approx.
- Additionally, 2 bags of organic phosphorus at 27% have been added to improve the soil, being evenly spread.
1 bag = 600kg, so 2 x 600 = 1200kg, between the 4ha, it is about 300kg/ha.
The recommended amount is about 250kg/ha.
Biodiversity survey
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Biodiversity survey
Date (or period) of the observation
May - September
Description / Observations
- Biodiversity surveys conducted of flora, pollinators and edafic fauna conducted along the mnths, however from July everything was too dry, there were not more flowers or pollinators observed. Solitary beed nest were installed at the beginning of the season and collected in September with a good numbers of tubes collonized. The edafic fauna surveys have found much more abundance and biodiversity in September than in any other month, probably thanks to a higher humidity and lower temperature.
Phytosociological survey
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Phytosociological survey
Date (or period) of the observation
February - June
Description / Observations
Conducted the first phytosociological survey in April, as before the plants were too small to be able to idenify them. There was only possible to conduct another one in June, as due to the lack of rayn they plans got dry and in July cattle was introduce in the pilot site. All the species were present at some point during those months.
Technical monitoring
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Technical monitoring
Date (or period) of the observation
January - September
Description / Observations
After the first check on the pilot site after sowing were everything as expected without any significant disturbance. Then, every month there has been conducted a technical check to identify mayor issues. The one that should be mentioned is the lack of rayn along the season, the growing season was too short, from March till May all the species were appearing and growing slowly, but by June - July the pasture was already dry. Cattle was introduce in July to take advantage of the pasture before it was too late and wasted.Also there were regular checks on the small plots were seeds were sown by species in high density, to check the germinability on the site, but the situation was the same, they grow during a short period of time and got dry soon.
Technical monitoring
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Technical monitoring
Date (or period) of the observation
23/02/22
Description / Observations
Checking the small control plots, where seeds have been sown in high density, can be seen the first native seeds growing and also in the pilot site.
Technical monitoring
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Technical monitoring
Date (or period) of the observation
16/03/2022
Description / Observations
Technical monitoring. All good, not any significant disturbances observed. First native seeds sown appearing gradually
Technical monitoring and biodiversity survey
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Technical monitoring and biodiversity survey
Date (or period) of the observation
13/07/2022
Description / Observations
Most of the species have stop their growth, the cattle has been move to the site so the pasture can be eaten. biodiversity surveys conducted but there are no flowers any more, neither pollinators
Technical monitoring and biodiversity survey
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Technical monitoring and biodiversity survey
Date (or period) of the observation
27/07/2022
Description / Observations
Everything is dry and/or eaten. Pitfall traps are installed and collected a week later.
Technical monitoring and biodiversity survey
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Technical monitoring and biodiversity survey
Date (or period) of the observation
31/08/2022
Description / Observations
Biodiversity survey conducted for floral visits of pillinators but nothing was observed. Everything too dry after the summer
Technical monitoring and biodiversity survey
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Technical monitoring and biodiversity survey
Date (or period) of the observation
13/09/2022
Description / Observations
Last biodiversity survey conducted of nests of solitary bees, edafic fauna, flora and pollinators. Everthing is dry so the results from flora and pollinators surveys were zero.
Technical monitoring, phytosociological survey and biodiversity survey
Contributor
Organization
Fundación Global Nature
Name
Ana Martínez Crucis
Experimental site
El Baldio
Technical monitoring, phytosociological survey and biodiversity survey
Date (or period) of the observation
16/06/2022
Description / Observations
Most of the species sown are present on the pilot site, but the are already getting dry