Supplying more than half the world's corks, the Portuguese cork forests are one of the most successful examples of sustainable agroforestry anywhere in the world.
Not only is cork
itself recyclable, biodegradable and renewable, the cork forests provide valuable habitat for birds and other animals and
contribute to a mixed agarian economy that has sustained farmers for many centuries.
The cork oak, which is well suited to the hot, arid conditions of southern Portugal, Spain and Northern Africa, helps protect the soil from desertification and is home to many species, including the wild boar and rare birds such as the black stork and the imperial eagle.
Portugal's cork forests are a protected resource, subject to a code
of good practice to ensure sustainability of production.
Almost nothing is
wasted - each part of the cork tree serves an ecological or economic purpose.
The world's oldest
cork tree is known as the Whistler Tree. For information about this remarkable tree, click
here.
The recycling of wine corks is well established in Australia and is becoming increasingly significant in other countries.
For more information on the environmental advantages of cork, click on one of the links below:
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