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.
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
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.
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