This paper deals with the Maestrat olive-growing system in Mediterranean Spain, on the northern tip of València, neighbouring Catalonia. The Maestrat olive-growing system is analysed -through fieldwork, interviews and literature review- on the basis of an evaluation method of its landscape and heritage quality. The particular environmental conditions (soil and climate) of the Maestrat restrict the quality of its olive oil, which is mostly processed and marketed through co-operatives and is only financially plausible thanks to CAP aid. Only a small part of the producers has opted for a sustainable and quality production, local sales, closeness to the territory and landscape preservation. _x000D_
Almost all the olive crops in the Maestrat is dry-farmed and indigenous olive varieties predominate. Landscape is, generally, well preserved. Moreover, this olive-growing area (with its contiguous area in Southern Catalonia) has the highest density of thousand-year-old olive trees in the world. For this reason, it was recognised by the FAO in 2018 as GIAHS (Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems). _x000D_
In general, most farmers are mainly concerned with economic returns, but there are some who have mobilised to preserve the landscape, preventing the plundering of thousand-year-old olive trees or opposing the installation of large wind or photovoltaic power plants that fragment and distort the landscape._x000D_
For the time being, no large photovoltaic projects are planned in the olive-growing area of Maestrat, although there are some small projects on the periphery, which do not affect the best farmland. However, a few kilometres south of this area, the construction of a huge 400-hectare photovoltaic plant has just been approved, which means the destruction of 60,000 almond trees. Apart from the degradation of the landscape, this would put an end to the agri-food sector, which is the most important of the region. In the olive-growing region of Maestrat, some farmers are worried about
Joan Carles Membrado-Tena
Universitat de València
ID Abstract: 67