FAO’s webinar about GIAHS and ecosystem restoration (1/2021)

The Decade of Ecosystem Restoration of the United Nations, declared by ONU from 2021 to 2030, is in pursue of a massive environment restoration as a way to fight climate change and have better food safety, water supply and biodiversity. A webinar was organized to explain ecosystems functions and mechanisms of the GIAHS and to share experiences, problems and challenges associated with the conservation and restoration of ecosystems. The webinar had presentations and a debate, and the languages used were English, Spanish and French, participants including FAO and PNUMA representatives, and people representing GIAHS from China, Japan, Morocco, Perú, Spain and Tanzania.

Spain (and also from Europe) was represented by Mª Teresa Adell, manager of Mancomunidad Taula del Sénia and Amador Peset, farmer specialized in the recovery of abandoned millenary olive trees.

Mª Teresa Adell explained that out of the 207.000 ha of the Sénia Territory the dry land olive is the majoritarian crop with 33.500 ha and there are 6.358 specimen that surpass 3.50m of trunk perimeter at 1.30m from the ground. She also explained the awareness of farmers and owners, the protection and acknowledgement of the value of the olive trees, the autochthonous varieties, hydric savings and sustainable production cycle.

Amador Peset said that after finding himself unemployed 10 years ago because of the economic crisis, having seen the work of Taula del Sénia and the fact that he had only a few olive trees in his possession, he started (after signing deals with the corresponding landowners) to recover land with abandoned millenary olive trees and actually could start to harvest again. Nowadays he manages 157 millenary olive trees and has his own brand of oil.

It was a very important achievement for the GIAHS Millenary Olive Trees Sénia Territory to participate in this webinar about GIAHS and restoration of ecosystems, organized by FAO, and having the opportunity to explain the measures on sustainable management of resources and recovery of abandoned millenary olive trees.