Online lecture offered for cork oak farmers in Extremadura

The latest methodologies in this niche forestry industry

Did you know that most of the cork used in wine bottle stoppers and flooring comes from a tree that grows only in the Western Mediterranean? Most of the cork oak groves are concentrated on the Iberian Peninsula, and more specifically in Portugal and the southwestern Spanish region of Extremadura.

It is an important economic niche for the rural population of these areas, and with that in mind the Extremaduran Ministry of Economy is organizing an online meeting-lecture on 15 December (10 am) with the aim of introducing cork farmers to a new manual on adaptive forestry. It has been prepared as part of a project financed by the Government of Extremadura and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Cork is produced by stripping the thick bark of the oak trees

The virtual meeting is itself organized by forestry engineers and agronomists from CICYTEX, the regional scientific research centre, who were also instrumental in compiling the manual in question.

The day will begin with a general presentation of the new manual and an explanation for its practical usage. The document contains the knowledge gathered by experts in the field over the past several years.

Later on, there will be a report on the classification of cork oak forests, with the finding that seven different types had been identified in Extremadura. The importance of this categorization is that it will facilitate managers in using the correct models and methodologies depending on the type of forest that they are dealing with.

The online meeting will conclude with the projection of several different educational videos that will demonstrate practical examples in the management of different types of cork oak groves. The participants will get the chance to have an informed look and training with the aid of a virtual visit to a real farm.

Those who are interested in attending the online lecture can sign up at the Government of Extremadura’s website by 13 December.