Wilder Campo de Montiel
Campo de Montiel más Natural
Campo de Montiel is a ca. 600,000 ha region located in Central Spain, which represents a continental Mediterranean agricultural and forest/shrubland mosaic. Iconic species such as the Iberian lynx, the Iberian imperial eagle and the Great bustard thrive in the region, which holds a considerable amount of natural protected areas. It is also a migratory pass way for birds. This region is also rich in native domesticated biodiversity and culture (e.g. it is Don Quijote´s land), part of which is strongly linked to the natural heritage (transhumance, extensive sheep and goat grazing, sustainable agricultural practices, traditional hunting, gastronomy). However, land use intensification (e.g. agriculture and hunting), which has already occurred at a considerable extent, and new mining projects threaten Campo de Montiel. Some relevant species such as the Bonelli´s eagle do not nest anymore in the area or are declining.
We pursue enhancing wildlife at the landscape scale, in a respectful manner with the local inhabitants, and think that these actions may bring up new economic opportunities. To achieve this goal, we will trigger and spread conservation and restoration actions that, together with the best practices of land use, enhance biodiversity and human well-being in the region, including a new economy and nature-based businesses. We aim to restore (1) dispersion and connectivity, (2) natural disturbances, (3) trophic networks, and (4) environmental heterogeneity. A relevant specific objective is to bring back species such as the Bonelli´s eagle and to recover the populations of sharply declining species such as the Little bustard and Montagu’s Harrier. We pursue as well merging the enhanced natural heritage with the cultural heritage and create sense of place.
- Restored natural processes
- A more sustainable farmland habitat
- More resilient and wildlife friendly afforestation of abandoned farmland
- Nature-based urban design
- Increased populations of the reintroduced Iberian lynx and of the Iberian imperial eagle, Montagu's Harrier, Little bustard and other steppe-like habitat bird species
- Assisted colonization of Lesser Kestrel and Black vulture
- Transition towards regenerative practices and sustainable production models
- Strengthen the landscape planning framework
FIRE has been developing individual, relatively small projects in the region since 2010, but more recently has secured financial support for larger landscape-scale initiatives. The Fields for Life project has operated on 27 fields and states and has implemented several actions such as hedgerow planting (ca. 8,5 km in length), pond construction (21), and installation of nest-boxes for different bird species (87) and perches (69), which are mostly intended to enhance wildlife in the farmed environment. Importantly, we have established a seminal Living Lab on agroecology and forest restoration across 400 hectares of the public estate La Nava del Conejo, where FIRE has incorporated rewilding principles into the agroecosystem and initiated a forest management plan to foster climate resilience. In 2024, the agrotourism route called the NavaLAB Experience was initiated, facilitating knowledge transfer and showcasing the project’s outcomes. The Nature-based urban design project has produced a plan for enhancing wildlife in a city with 30.000-inhabitants and 3.35 million € funding to accomplish it. Gardens for Life is a naturalistic gardening project implemented on one site, with more than 100 native plant species established. The Resilient and wildlife friendly afforestation project has established a long-term monitoring experiment and is operating at ca. 15,5 ha at present. The Green Road Links and Roundabouts project consists of revegetating these "empty" spaces around towns and has been implemented on one site so far. The Singular Fruit Tree project has propagated a magnificent 150 to 200-year-old almond tree and planted new seedlings from it. FIRE has performed training, volunteering, communication, and education related to the projects mentioned. It has also conducted research related to bird communities (including a specific Montagu’s harrier conservation program), bats (107 refuges monitored annually), plants, mammals and butterflies.
All this work has helped position Campo de Montiel as one of the regenerative landscapes of La Red de Territorios Regenerativos (the Regenerative Landscape Network in Iberia), which seeks to make Spain and Portugal models of holistic landscape restoration. Currently, FIRE is collaborating with key stakeholders on the development of a long-term landscape plan.
Campo de Montiel is a ca. 600,000 ha region located in Central Spain, which represents a continental Mediterranean agricultural and forest/shrubland mosaic. Iconic species such as the Iberian lynx, the Iberian imperial eagle and the Great bustard thrive in the region, which holds a considerable amount of natural protected areas. It is also a migratory pass way for birds. This region is also rich in native domesticated biodiversity and culture (e.g. it is Don Quijote´s land), part of which is strongly linked to the natural heritage (transhumance, extensive sheep and goat grazing, sustainable agricultural practices, traditional hunting, gastronomy). However, land use intensification (e.g. agriculture and hunting), which has already occurred at a considerable extent, and new mining projects threaten Campo de Montiel. Some relevant species such as the Bonelli´s eagle do not nest anymore in the area or are declining.
We pursue enhancing wildlife at the landscape scale, in a respectful manner with the local inhabitants, and think that these actions may bring up new economic opportunities. To achieve this goal, we will trigger and spread conservation and restoration actions that, together with the best practices of land use, enhance biodiversity and human well-being in the region, including a new economy and nature-based businesses. We aim to restore (1) dispersion and connectivity, (2) natural disturbances, (3) trophic networks, and (4) environmental heterogeneity. A relevant specific objective is to bring back species such as the Bonelli´s eagle and to recover the populations of sharply declining species such as the Little bustard and Montagu’s Harrier. We pursue as well merging the enhanced natural heritage with the cultural heritage and create sense of place.
- Restored natural processes
- A more sustainable farmland habitat
- More resilient and wildlife friendly afforestation of abandoned farmland
- Nature-based urban design
- Increased populations of the reintroduced Iberian lynx and of the Iberian imperial eagle, Montagu's Harrier, Little bustard and other steppe-like habitat bird species
- Assisted colonization of Lesser Kestrel and Black vulture
- Transition towards regenerative practices and sustainable production models
- Strengthen the landscape planning framework
FIRE has been developing individual, relatively small projects in the region since 2010, but more recently has secured financial support for larger landscape-scale initiatives. The Fields for Life project has operated on 27 fields and states and has implemented several actions such as hedgerow planting (ca. 8,5 km in length), pond construction (21), and installation of nest-boxes for different bird species (87) and perches (69), which are mostly intended to enhance wildlife in the farmed environment. Importantly, we have established a seminal Living Lab on agroecology and forest restoration across 400 hectares of the public estate La Nava del Conejo, where FIRE has incorporated rewilding principles into the agroecosystem and initiated a forest management plan to foster climate resilience. In 2024, the agrotourism route called the NavaLAB Experience was initiated, facilitating knowledge transfer and showcasing the project’s outcomes. The Nature-based urban design project has produced a plan for enhancing wildlife in a city with 30.000-inhabitants and 3.35 million € funding to accomplish it. Gardens for Life is a naturalistic gardening project implemented on one site, with more than 100 native plant species established. The Resilient and wildlife friendly afforestation project has established a long-term monitoring experiment and is operating at ca. 15,5 ha at present. The Green Road Links and Roundabouts project consists of revegetating these "empty" spaces around towns and has been implemented on one site so far. The Singular Fruit Tree project has propagated a magnificent 150 to 200-year-old almond tree and planted new seedlings from it. FIRE has performed training, volunteering, communication, and education related to the projects mentioned. It has also conducted research related to bird communities (including a specific Montagu’s harrier conservation program), bats (107 refuges monitored annually), plants, mammals and butterflies.
All this work has helped position Campo de Montiel as one of the regenerative landscapes of La Red de Territorios Regenerativos (the Regenerative Landscape Network in Iberia), which seeks to make Spain and Portugal models of holistic landscape restoration. Currently, FIRE is collaborating with key stakeholders on the development of a long-term landscape plan.