Given the endangered status of maritime juniper and its habitat, the recovery of
juniperus woodlands from abandoned coastal pine plantations seems to be a
necessary management strategy for the conservation of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp.
macrocarpa woodlands in southwest Spain. If we consider the juniper woodlands
of the dunes as natural reference situations (Tekke and Salman 1995), the results
obtained by Muñoz-Reinoso (2003, 2004) suggest that the management of coastal
pine plantations should focus on the restoration of the original environmental
conditions. Pine tree clearing may allow wind flow, moderate sand mobility, and
an increase in the effect of salt spray on the plant community favoring the
establishment of stress-tolerant local endemic species. After tree felling, plant
material (trunks and needles) must be removed as soon as possible to minimize the
input of nutrients into sandy soils.
9.5 Conservation Program of Maritime Juniper Woodlands
in Andalusia
Owing to its continuing decline, the Andalusian Catalogue of Endangered Wild
Flora Species (Law 104/1994), and the Law 8/2003 on the Andalusian Wild Flora
and Fauna included the maritime juniper as a species at risk of extinction. This
implied the elaboration of a Recovery Plan for the species, which was materialized
in the ‘‘Conservation Program of Maritime Juniper Woodlands (2002–2006).’’ The
general purposes of the Plan were:
1. To guarantee the protection of extant populations and minimize the factors
of threat,
2. To enable the growth of maritime juniper populations and the occupancy
of both past and potential areas,
3. To obtain current information on the conservation status of the species,
4. To promote research lines that allow the redefinition of future conservation and
recovery strategies,
5. To increase awareness of local groups of the problems, benefits, and necessity
of maritime juniper conservation.
The Program included several actions on habitat restoration and complementary
works of research, monitoring, dissemination of information, and environmental
education. Habitat restoration activities comprise plant treatment (mainly pine
plantations) in stands with junipers, juniper plantations, and the construction of
new infrastructures for public use. Conservation measures affected 320 ha of
protected and public lands belonging to 12 municipalities along the Gulf of Cádiz
included in the past and potential distribution area of maritime juniper. Seventy
thousand saplings (1–2 years old) were planted out from October to January in
2004/2005 and 2005/2006 in order to reduce the risk of genetic isolation and the
progressive decline in juniper density of several populations. Saplings came from
152
J. C. Muñoz-Reinoso et al.
juniperus woodlands from abandoned coastal pine plantations seems to be a
necessary management strategy for the conservation of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp.
macrocarpa woodlands in southwest Spain. If we consider the juniper woodlands
of the dunes as natural reference situations (Tekke and Salman 1995), the results
obtained by Muñoz-Reinoso (2003, 2004) suggest that the management of coastal
pine plantations should focus on the restoration of the original environmental
conditions. Pine tree clearing may allow wind flow, moderate sand mobility, and
an increase in the effect of salt spray on the plant community favoring the
establishment of stress-tolerant local endemic species. After tree felling, plant
material (trunks and needles) must be removed as soon as possible to minimize the
input of nutrients into sandy soils.
9.5 Conservation Program of Maritime Juniper Woodlands
in Andalusia
Owing to its continuing decline, the Andalusian Catalogue of Endangered Wild
Flora Species (Law 104/1994), and the Law 8/2003 on the Andalusian Wild Flora
and Fauna included the maritime juniper as a species at risk of extinction. This
implied the elaboration of a Recovery Plan for the species, which was materialized
in the ‘‘Conservation Program of Maritime Juniper Woodlands (2002–2006).’’ The
general purposes of the Plan were:
1. To guarantee the protection of extant populations and minimize the factors
of threat,
2. To enable the growth of maritime juniper populations and the occupancy
of both past and potential areas,
3. To obtain current information on the conservation status of the species,
4. To promote research lines that allow the redefinition of future conservation and
recovery strategies,
5. To increase awareness of local groups of the problems, benefits, and necessity
of maritime juniper conservation.
The Program included several actions on habitat restoration and complementary
works of research, monitoring, dissemination of information, and environmental
education. Habitat restoration activities comprise plant treatment (mainly pine
plantations) in stands with junipers, juniper plantations, and the construction of
new infrastructures for public use. Conservation measures affected 320 ha of
protected and public lands belonging to 12 municipalities along the Gulf of Cádiz
included in the past and potential distribution area of maritime juniper. Seventy
thousand saplings (1–2 years old) were planted out from October to January in
2004/2005 and 2005/2006 in order to reduce the risk of genetic isolation and the
progressive decline in juniper density of several populations. Saplings came from
152
J. C. Muñoz-Reinoso et al.