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Environmentally, socially as well as economically very valuable.

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We're talking about the dehesa. A unique ecosystem shared by Extremadura and the Alentejo of Portugal.

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The dehesa is a very complex agro-ecosystem which permits various uses during the whole year,

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from cork, which is generally the most characteristic product of this kind of agro-ecosystem,

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Alentejo pork and other foods, to services like tourism and leisure.

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This is the way to fight against depopulation and desertification of the interior of the peninsula.

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This ecosystem is gravely threatened by the loss of vigour and death of its trees,

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the fall in productivity and environmental value, climate change and rural depopulation.

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That is why this scientific investigation was carried out.

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Research on the dehesa has two components.

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One of these is the trees, affected by defoliating pests,

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and whose objective is to learn what pests are there and when they appear in the dehesa,

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and the second component, about the risk from fire,

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that is, studying the plant and bush cover to understand how it may relate to the fire risk.

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The results obtained about defoliating pests have allowed us to see what the main ones present in the dehesa are,

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and we've identified three, the most important of which is present everywhere.

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As regards the fire risk, we've confirmed that there is poor management of the ground cover and therefore a high risk of fire.

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These results are now being applied to the opportunities that arise and to measures to manage the dehesa.

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Transfer to the business community is fundamental in this project.

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In addition, they intend to carry on looking into the issue.

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I think it's important that this project doesn't finish here,

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in other words, that it's extended to other sources of finance and is continued for a few years,

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because ecosystems are complex and so we need longer studies than RITECA's.

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Because the dehesa is an essential part of the present and future of the Euroace region.