Atlas Forestal -

Currently, the story has entered a new chapter: . As traditional agriculture is abandoned, the "Atlas Forestal" tracks the progressive evolution of shrublands back into dense woodlands.

By analyzing charcoal and wood remains in sites like "Las Quintanas," researchers have reconstructed forest changes dating back to the Celtiberian and Roman eras (5th century BC to 1st century AD). 3. The Modern Rebound: Abandonment and Evolution

The (specifically the Atlas Forestal de Castilla y León ) tells a "deep story" of the Iberian landscape that spans thousands of years, moving from ancient, untouched wilderness to a landscape heavily shaped by human survival and industry. 1. The Ancient "Refuge" (The Holocene Story) Atlas Forestal

What we see today as a "natural" Mediterranean landscape is actually a "design" resulting from a millennial interaction between humans and ecological systems.

The Atlas identifies different "evolution pathways" where forests recover at varying rates depending on local soil and climate. Currently, the story has entered a new chapter:

The "deep story" identified by the Atlas is largely one of sustained deforestation . Over centuries, the expansion of agriculture, livestock grazing, and the demand for timber for the Spanish Navy and industrialization stripped the plains of their original canopy.

This recovery helps with carbon storage and provides environmental services, though it often lacks the full biodiversity of the ancient "deep story" forests due to the dominance of specific species like the beech tree , which casts a deep shadow that can exclude other species. Reconstructing forest history from archaeological data The Ancient "Refuge" (The Holocene Story) What we

Research within the Atlas reveals that the region's forests were once far more diverse. Thousands of years ago, species like the (European Black Pine) and Pinus sylvestris were widely distributed across the Northern Meseta. These forests served as crucial refugia during climate shifts, housing species that are now restricted to high mountain enclaves. 2. A Millennial Story of Deforestation