Work continues on the Replication Plan at Finca Las Defesinhas, Portugal

Volterra team keeps working on the replication plan of Manuel Die's Finca Las Defesinhas in Portugal. The work has focused on planting more than 370 shrubs such as tagasaste (Cytisus proliferus) and moon trefoil (Medicago arborea) as well as hackberry (Celtis australis), a tree which, like the species mentioned above, can be used to feed the cattle on the same farm. These are fodder species of high palatable value for the cows. This will help the management of rotational grazing, as they are species that remain green all summer, saving the owner money on supplementing cattle's feed. These species have been planted around one of the plots on the farm to act as a green barrier.

In addition, these trees and bushes have been monitored thanks to the close collaboration between the Life Regenerate project and the LifeTerra project (https://lifeterra.eu/). Thanks to this, it will be possible to follow and control the future development of these species, to ensure that they continue capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere and continue fulfilling their role in mitigating climate change.

Finally, a biodiversity box was installed by Paco Volante. This box has been placed in the area of the farm where La seca (in this case originated by Phytophthora cinnamomi), is beginning to make an impact on the oaks of the area. This box can host birds, bats, and insects all at the same time. The presence of the species that these nest houses shelter is very important for the health of this type of dehesa ecosystem as they strengthen local biodiversity and make it more resilient to future changes, thereby also lessening the impact of la Seca.