Sustainable management model for the preservation of valuable open mountain areas: the Open2preserve project
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abstract
In south-western Europe, the abandonment of traditional practices in mountains is causing a
homogenization of the landscape and an increased risk of extreme wildfires, endangering ecosystems
of high ecological value. The Interreg Sudoe Open2preserve project (2018-2021) aimed to develop a
sustainable management model based on the principles of the pyric herbivory (combination of prescribed
fires and targeted grazing) to preserve a mosaic of open landscapes in abandoned and high fire-prone areas.
Thirteen partners from Spain, France and Portugal established eight pilot experiments in protected areas
of contrasting environments in the SUDOE region (Atlantic mountains, Pyrenees, and Mediterranean
areas). In these pilot experiments, we implemented a common management and monitoring design
based on an initial removal of biomass and a multi-year targeted grazing with autochthonous horses
and sheep. We monitored the intensity and severity of the burnings, the livestock welfare, the vegetation
dynamics, and the soil function for two years, and tested drone and GPS technological tools. This
multidisciplinary and international project gathered the main bases to implement pyric herbivory
practices on mountain grasslands valuing prescribed burnings and targeted grazing, which promote
the preservation of biodiversity and resilient ecosystems, while ensuring the environmental, social and
economic sustainability of these practices.
Open2preserve Project (SOE2/P5/E0804) was funded by the Interreg Sudoe Programme, the European Regional Development Fund of the European-Union. The authors are grateful to the rest of the partners and participants of the project.
