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History and Recent Trends

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Mediterranean Oak Woodland Working Landscapes

Part of the book series: Landscape Series ((LAEC,volume 16))

Abstract

Contemporary ranches and dehesas are layered onto centuries of human use. The Spanish dehesas began forming during Roman rule, and by the time of the Christian Reconquest were managed for grazing, hunting, farming, foraging, and forestry. California’s oak woodlands were shaped by thousands of years of Native American management, including widespread burning that was eventually suppressed after European settlement. With the first settlers from Spain came livestock and crops from the Old World, as well as grasses and other species that have since naturalized across the state. California woodlands have undergone periods of expropriation, scientific management, conservation, and integrated management. Spanish dehesas, meanwhile, have experienced periods of consolidation, development, decay, and resurgence. California oak woodland ranches have not been managed as intensively as the Spanish dehesa, but since World War II both landscapes have experienced pressures associated with development, technology, demographics, and globalization, leading to profound social and ecological change.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of History and Environmental Studies Program, University of California, Humanities and Social Sciences Building, 4231, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9410, USA

    Peter S. Alagona

  2. Department of Economy, University of Extremadura, Avda de Elvas S/N, 06071, Badajoz, Spain

    Antonio Linares

  3. Institute of Public Goods and Policies (IPP), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Albasanz 26-28, 28037, Madrid, Spain

    Pablo Campos

  4. Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Mulford Hall , Berkeley, CA, MC 3110, 94720, USA

    Lynn Huntsinger

Authors
  1. Peter S. Alagona
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  2. Antonio Linares
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  3. Pablo Campos
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  4. Lynn Huntsinger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter S. Alagona .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Institute of Public Goods and Policies, Spanish National Research Council, Albasanz 26-28, Madrid, 28037, Madrid, Spain

    Pablo Campos

  2. , Dept. Environ. Sci. Policy Manage., University of California at Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall MC 3114, Berkeley, 94720, California, USA

    Lynn Huntsinger

  3. , Institute of Public Goods and Policies, Spanish National Research Council, Albasanz 26-28, Madrid, 28037, Madrid, Spain

    Jose Luis Oviedo Pro

  4. , Department of Geography, University of Nevada at Reno, MacKay Science Mail Stop, Reno, 89557, Nevada, USA

    Paul F Starrs

  5. , Biogeography and Global Change, Spanish National Research Council, Serrano 115 bis, Madrid, 28006, Madrid, Spain

    Mario Diaz

  6. , Dept of Environ Sci Policy and Manage, University of California at Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall MC 3114, Berkeley, 94720, California, USA

    Richard B Standiford

  7. , Centro de Investigación Forestal, Inst Nacl Invest Tecnol Agrar Aliment, Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7.5, Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Gregorio Montero

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Alagona, P.S., Linares, A., Campos, P., Huntsinger, L. (2013). History and Recent Trends. In: Campos, P., et al. Mediterranean Oak Woodland Working Landscapes. Landscape Series, vol 16. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6707-2_2

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