Livestock trails: history, uses and development

The livestock trails are traditional paths used for grazing and the movement of livestock since ancient times. Apart from their use in transhumance, they have also been used for trade, communication when there were no vehicles or recently for activities in nature, such as hiking or cycling. In Spain we have 125,000 linear km of roads, but we face a problem for their conservation and protection.. Let's get to know them a little better.

Origins of these ancestral paths

We have to go back to prehistoric times, as far back as the Palaeolithic our ancestors noticed that wild animals followed fixed routes on their routes. seasonal migrationsto look for pastures or better climatic conditions. Along these "pathways", humans looked for shelters to spend the night or take shelter. Later, when animals such as goats, sheep and cows were domesticated, the same problem that the wild herds faced was repeated: a shortage of pasture in summer and cold winters, with little vegetation. To solve this problem, human populations moved with their livestock along these ancient nature trails. This is the birth of the transhumance and, it is believed, also from the domestication of the wolf/dog for herding and guarding livestock. A little later, in ancient Iberia, shepherds encountered the problem of "rights of passage" and interaction with other Iberian tribes. There is documentation of commercial transactions and free movement between Iberian tribes, such as the Vacceans of the Duero basin, the Numantines or the Beribraces of the Valencian hinterland. These primitive livestock trails had natural shelters, river courses for water supply and fords, springs or watering places, accessible passes through mountain passes...

When the Carthaginians Hannibal's commanders reach the Iberian coast, they use local guides to move their armies quickly along these "primordial transhumant routes". The Romans They do the same a little later and also travel along these roads. Some of these roads are paved, transforming them into Roman roads. People, animals and manufactured goods, such as the precious Betic wool, travelled along these roads between the interior and the coast.

In 1273, Alfonso X, "The Wise", founded the Mesta. This group brings together shepherds from Castile and León. One of the objectives was to establish demarcated paths to avoid negative interactions between shepherds and farmers who had occupied territory reconquered from the Arabs. Over the following centuries, the network of livestock trails was in good health until the 19th century. This was the beginning of the privatisation of the territory, the loss of uses and industrialisation. The rural exodus of the 50s, 60s and 70s created a vacuum of historical memory and the abandonment of many paths.

Current status of livestock trails

Spain is the only country in the world with its own network of transhumant paths or cattle trails. The 125,000 linear kilometres cover an area of some 450,000 ha. To give you an idea, this is the equivalent of the surface area of the province of Pontevedra, a little more than half the surface area of Barcelona, or 1% of the entire national territory. These paths are public and their management depends on the different autonomous communities.

Livestock trails are classified according to their width:

• Cañadasare the main roads, with a width of 75 metres.
• Lanyardssecond in width, about 37.5 metres wide.
• Footpathsof 20 metres
• Pouringof 4 metres

These names refer to those used by the Crown of Castile, but in other "kingdoms" the names varied. In Andalusia we find coladas, realengas or veredas de carne. In Murcia, azagadores, veredas or hilillos. In Aragon, cabañeras, ligallos, azagadores and pasos. In Catalonia, carrerades, lligallos or cabanes. And in Navarre, cabañeras or ardibideak (sheep tracks).

On the different routes we find: resting places, watering places or sheepfolds for the shelter and rest of livestock and shepherds. The current situation of these paths is worrying, as around 40 % of these paths have been lost at national level.

What are the reasons for this loss of roads?

The public administration itself has often built infrastructures such as roads, petrol stations, rubbish dumps or rubbish dumps without taking into account the use of these paths. A concrete example would be the construction of the Valmayor reservoir (Madrid) and the destruction of part of the "cañada Real Galiana". Other times it is private individuals with the construction of illegal dwellings (same example as before, the Galiana Royal Cattle Track), agriculture on the margins of the road which ends up eating up the track or private estates or large landowners who deny the right of way as it is within their enclosed and fenced land. Also urban or industrial growth with the "oblivion" of these paths, rubbish dumps or dumps, hunting grounds...

Road maintenance measures

The actions for its maintenance include its classification y redefinition of the current route on the ground. Another important action is the demarcationThe aim is to take legal action to define exactly the actual route of the roads. By taking measures such as the dismantling of squatter settlements or expropriation of land occupied by the roads. Demarcation or marking with milestones of the boundaries, which may be signs or beacons. Surveillance by forest agents y environmental educationThe aim of the project is to make these historical routes known to the general public.

As is often the case, if the public administrations are not concerned about the maintenance and defence of these paths, the citizens organise themselves. For this reason, we find ourselves with the Iberian Platform for Public Roads (PICP) which organise the "Livestock Trails Day 2024The "Spanish National Assembly" will be held with various protest events throughout Spain.

Livestock trails, not just for transhumance

One of the major problems faced by the natural areas is isolation, between infrastructures and human populations. This leads to a loss of biodiversity by inbreedingIn other words, the populations of fauna become isolated and with few individuals, and little by little the populations degenerate genetically until they become extinct. (If you are interested, you can read The ibex, the Pyrenean ibex, extinct in the Pyrenees(the latter was extinguished, among other factors, by inbreeding caused by isolation). This is where the "livestock trails" come in, allowing the connectivity between natural areas and acting as biological corridorsThe very passage of livestock also allows for the flow of wild animals. The very passage of livestock also allows the seed dispersalThe connectivity and genetic exchange between the vegetation, their droppings serve as fertiliserThe use of the fuels in the vegetation is also a major factor in controlling vegetation growth and decreasing plant fuels, reduce the risk of fire. Secondarily, by controlling plant growth, they limit the spread of rabbits or other animals that can become pests. And as if that were not enough, the corpses of some of the dead animal They support scavengers such as vultures, foxes and wolves.

We have just seen the benefits for ecosystems, but people can also enjoy this network of paths. Whether it is for the hikingthe cycling or the use of these roads for sporting activities.