Biodiversity Conservation Through Transhumance and Nomadic

on the move - for 10000 years... Biodiversity Conservation through Transhumance and Nomadic Pastoralism in the Mediterranean contents BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION 6 Acknowledgements - A WAY OF LIFE We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who have made this About Transhumance in 8 work possible: Paule Gros and Marko Pecarevic of the Mava Foundation for their continued support and encouragement; Sandra Spissinger and everyone who has the Mediterranean helped DiversEarth; all the teams and partners of WWF-North Africa, Doga Dernegi, Perspectives 18 Trashumancia y Naturaleza, Med-INA and SPNL; Gonzalo Oviedo (IUCN) and Mark Infield for their valuable advice; and all the mobile and nomadic pastoralists who have from around the been our inspiration throughout. Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula – 20 Reviving the Long Transhumance in the Title: On the Move – for 10’000 years: Biodiversity Conservation through Transhumance and Nomadic Pastoralism in the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula Published in Switzerland, August 2014 By: Liza Zogib, DiversEarth Greece and the 26 On behalf of: The Mediterranean Consortium for Nature and Culture With: Sana Mzoughi, Faouzi Maamouri, Rabiaa Ben Bouzid, Banu Balkans – Abandoning Aydinoglugil, Engin Yilmaz, Büşra Şahin, Aphrodite Sorotou, Vassilis Christou, Kostas Tziovas, Jesus Garzon, Shalimar Sinno, Assad Serhal Photography by: Wassim Ghoslani, Younes Tazi, Gema Arrugaeta, transhumance in the Asaad Saleh, Stamos Abatis, Bariş Koca Designed and illustrated by: Divya Venkatesh, DiversEarth Pindos Mountains With funding from: The MAVA Foundation Cover Image by Gema Arrugaeta. All Rights Reserved. of Greece 2 contents North Africa (Tunisia) 36 – Learning from the Desert Nomads Middle East – The Challenges of Governing 44 Pastoralism in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria Turkey – The Ecological 56 Knowledge of the sarike ililer Nomads on the move - the 66 exhibition rounding up 70 Shepherd riding a Donkey, Tunisia. By Wassim Gozhlani, 2014. 4 5 biodiversity conservation - a way of life Do you know people who see their lives as so embedded in nature that there is no divide? We do. Do you know anyone whose lifestyle contributes concretely to the enhancement of biodiversity? We do. Do you know anyone who understands the landscape so intimately they can shape it like a sculpture? We do. Do you know a single person who knows what it’s like to feel free because of what they do every day? We do. If you do, you are fortunate indeed. And you will know how important it is to learn from these rare people. The transhumant shepherds and nomadic pastoralists of the Mediterranean are some of these people... And this is what our project is about... Listening, learning, and providing any support that we can. Fresh Milk the Old Way, Trashumancia Viva! Lebanon. By Asaad Saleh, 2014. 6 7 TRANSHUMANCE is the seasonal movement a perfect example of a 10’000 year old practice. living proof that people can of people and livestock adapting to risk in the live in harmony with nature. through the landscape environment. in search of water and pasture, typically to highlands for summer and lowlands for winter. 89 transhumance for BIODIVERSITY Drover roads and grazing Transhumant pastoralists Moving herds supply Keeping one cow in ‘normal’ areas become home to a contribute concretely vultures, wolves and many conditions means providing diverse array of habitats, to the formation of unique other carnivores with an it with around 50 litres of suitable for many plant landscapes and corridors important source of food. water per day. The continued species, small mammals, that support biodiversity. movement of herds means reptiles and insects. that they are always finding fresh grazing and natural water supplies. 10 11 Transhumance facilitates Transhumance facilitates It contributes substantially The movement of herds adaptation to climate the creation of carbon sinks to forest management and fertilizes the soil (3 tons of change. in the ground (up to 100 tons fire control. manure daily per 1000 sheep of CO2 per hectare). or 100 cows) and spreads seeds over long distances (about 5 million seeds at 20 Km every day per herd). CO2 12 13 SURVIVAL Water is becoming scarce Migration routes are being In most cases the nomads In most countries there is and it is increasingly fragmented at an alarming of the Mediterranean are a lack of recognition and difficult to find water rate by vehicle roads, facing growing hardship and respect for transhumance sources. private lands, protected their lifeways are becoming and nomadic pastoralism. areas for conservation and increasingly threatened. other developments. 14 15 In May 2014 the transhumant National and regional The more difficult the shepherds in Spain struggled policies often have transhumance becomes the to find water in 40° heat. negative impacts on mobile less likely the younger In Mount Pindos, Greece, pastoralists. generation are to keep the the shepherds could not lifestyle. move because of snow A continually changing climate, with heightened extremes, makes life difficult – but adaptability prevails, at least for now. 16 17 Perspectives from around the Mediterranean Women play an important part in the transhumant life working equally hard with men, Greece. By Stamos Abatis, 2014. Iberian Peninsula - Reviving the Long Transhumance in the Iberian Peninsula Trashumancia y Naturaleza, Consortium partner in Spain and Portugal, has for its sole focus the revival of transhumance, the conservation of drovers’ roads, and the provision of continual support to transhumant herders. Led by Jesus Garzon, the entire Mediterranean Consortium for Nature and Culture team has been inspired and guided by this pioneering work in Spain. The Spanish case gives great hope for transhumant pastoralists all over the world. The Spanish Context Transhumance in Spain is the seasonal movement of herds to summer pastures in the mountains at the onset of drought in the valleys, and their return to wintering areas in late autumn. In the Iberian Peninsula this practice is some 6000 years old, with Neolithic pastoralists following the ancient paths traced over millions of years by wild herbivores. The long distance between the southern valleys and northern mountains, about 500 Km of plains that are extremely cold in winter and very dry and hot in summer, forces the herds to travel four or five weeks in spring, and the same period back in autumn. Each herd is normally led by 5 people, each with a shepherd dog to handle the livestock, and 5 defence dogs to protect the herd against wolves and bears. The Spanish herders’ rights to move freely across the territory and to graze their herds along the drover roads were legally recognized in 1273 by King Alfonso X the Wise, who created a powerful guild of shepherds, the Concejo de la Mesta, protecting its traditional routes, the cañadas, 75 m wide. This network of ways, 125,000 Km long with a total area of over 400,000 hectares, links together the different Spanish regions. Twice a year, in January or February in wintering areas and in September or October in the summer pastures, any dispute over animal leases, properties, loss of livestock or other problems was settled by the Council of la Mesta, the representatives of “the four snowy mountains”, Soria, Segovia, León and Cuenca. The council was usually held in a church or open field, and considered valid if at least 40 herders concurred. Both men and women had a voice and a vote, if they owned at least 50 transhumant sheep. Until the early XIX century, 5 million sheep, goats, cows and pigs crossed Spain twice a year, walking and grazing along Golden Earth: the drover roads. However, since the early XX century the construction of railways allowed rapid transport The transhumance begins, Spain. of livestock and food by train, virtually bringing to an end the long-distance transhumance, although short- By Gema Arrugaeta, 2014. 20 21 Conclusion distance droving was preserved. The gradual abandonment of most of the drover roads and of the seasonal The traditional knowledge of the rural populations of Spain and Portugal are fundamental for the correct movement of herds had serious ecological impacts: in the lowlands it led to overgrazing, loss of biodiversity management of natural resources and for the conservation of biological diversity, both wild, and cultivated and and failure of the renewal of trees, which practically have not regenerated in the last century; in the domestic species. Their selection and improvement over many centuries is an invaluable contribution to the mountains it brought about the invasion of shrubs and ferns that destroy valuable grasslands, bringing to sustainable use of the land, adapted to the harsh Mediterranean climate, with heavy rain and cold during the extinction many species and creating a serious risk of devastating wildfires. winter months and extreme heat and drought during the summer. The Association Concejo de la Mesta The great diversity of cultures around the Iberian Peninsula, adapted to the different local conditions using its resources optimally, are now affected by globalization, which threatens the conservation of traditional knowledge To deal with this serious situation, which affects the entire Spanish territory, the Association Concejo de la with serious social and environmental consequences. To avoid it, educational and cultural work with young Mesta was created in 1992. Its aim is to recover the traditional long-distance transhumance on foot with large people will be essential

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