Cattle grazing and vegetation management for multiple use of Mediterranean shrubland in Israel

Abstract

Regenerating sclerophyllous shrubby and woody vegetation on uncultivated land in the Mediterranean region is a source of browse for goats, cattle, camels, and wildlife. Traditionally, this Mediterranean shrubland was intensively grazed by mixed herds, predominantly goats that maintained an open landscape. In addition, the vegetation supplied timber for fuel and construction, as well as culinary and medicinal plants. Patches of deeper soil were cultivated, often on terraces. In recent years, goat husbandry has declined and the establishment of protected areas has favored the regeneration of a dense woodland dominated byQuercus calliprinos. Commercial beef husbandry has largely replaced the traditional management system. After initial thinning to open up the thickets, the oak woodland can sustain a viable beef herd with moderate supplementation. Appropriate management of grazing, control of the shrub component and, in some cases, soil nutrient amelioration, can lead to the development of relatively stable, open woodland with nutritious and usually attractive herbaceous patches. In addition to animal production, these rangelands have significant recreational, conservation, and landscape values that are becoming increasingly important as urbanization increases. Such landscapes provide a wide range of ecological services and are less of a fire hazard than the undisturbed regenerating successional shrub thickets. The multiple benefits of the open landscape can justify the expense of necessary interventions that cannot be borne by any single benefit.