The 143-hectare Castelo demonstration farm belongs to the parish of Folgueira in the municipality of Culleredo, in the Coruña region. It is situated on the mountain ridge known as Xalo, which, with its north-west to south-east orientation, represents the first barrier between the lowlands of municipalities such as A Coruña, Betanzos or Cambre and the higher-altitude areas of inland municipalities like Carral or Cerceda. The community woodland has gentle slopes at its upper part that become steeper as one descends.
The summit of Mount Castelo is a natural lookout from which you can enjoy a wide-ranging view that stretches from the coast at Arteixo to Ferrol in the west, and across a broad expanse on the other slopes.
The interest of this demonstration woodland lies in demonstrating the compatibility of traditional use with new, more environmentally demanding management criteria and social use in a region where rural and urban cultures converge. It also preserves its archaeological heritage, comprising three dolmens perfectly delineated within the woodland.
The owners of the mountain and its management
This communal mountain in common belongs to the Castelo Community of Communal Mountains in Common, made up of 63 commoners (42 men and 21 women).
The Castelo Community of Mounts, in addition to managing the community woodland, is a major driver of the social and cultural life of the village of Castelo and collaborates with other parish associations in organising various sporting and cultural activities, many of which take place on the community's grounds and in its facilities.
Characteristics of the hill and plantations
The proximity of the city of A Coruña, from which it is about 20 km away, makes it a hill with fairly intensive social use, with numerous visitors practising hiking, cycling and other sports. The governing board of the community of montes understands its value because of its peri-urban character, while also recognising that social use can be compatible with sustainable forest exploitation and other uses that complement the hill's appeal.
These lands were managed by the Countryside Department of the Government of Galicia until 2020 under an agreement. Since that year, management has been carried out directly by the community of montes, which aims to implement sustainable forest management. To this end, it commissioned the drafting of the first management plan for the community woodland and obtained PEFC and FSC forest certification.
The mountain, well-equipped with pistes, primarily features stands of Radiata pine and Pine maritime of different ages, as well as stands of broad-leaved deciduous species and eucalyptus. All these stands require silvicultural treatments to improve their technological quality and reduce the risk of fire spread.
In an area of scrubland with low timber productivity, a pasture will be created to accommodate a small livestock barn, thereby helping to control scrub across the entire surface of the community woodland.
The most relevant seasonal and forest characteristics are as follows:
- Altitude: 230 to 515 m
- Aspect: predominantly north-east
- Annual precipitation: 1,700 mm
- Average annual temperature: 15.3 °C
- Current area: 143.48 ha
- Forest soil area: 128.07 ha
- Agricultural land area: 0 ha
- Participating owners in the initiative: Community of Common Landowners of Castelo
- Species used: Scots pine, Monterey pine, and broadleaf deciduous trees.
- Main products to obtain: high-value timber.
Proposed actions
- Carry out environmental restoration work with native broadleaf species on approximately 20 hectares to increase biodiversity and enrich the riparian areas of the woodland.
- Carry out restoration work on 60 hectares of conifers in degraded areas that can serve as CO₂ absorption projects.2.
- To carry out training and outreach activities in the forest that coincide with environmental restoration work, pruning, thinning, etc., aimed at silviculturists, community members, managers and the general public.
- To produce specific educational and outreach material about the mountain.
- Install meadow areas where livestock can be introduced, maintaining discontinuities in the woodland to prevent wildfires.
- Improve the tracks and hiking routes.
