Sweet Chestnut Tree Groves In Curral Das Freiras Madeira Island, An Example Of Beneficial Non-native Species Stock Photo

Curral das Freiras is a civil parish situated in the mountainous interior of Madeira island and is geographically isolated from other communities by the cliffs and peaks surrounding its central valley. Sweet chestnut trees Castanea sativa, originary from Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, were planted here in the past centuries and have since made part of the valley’s landscape. In stark contrast to eucalyptus plantations, which are an invasive species that impoverish the ecosystem, drain the groundwater and increase the risk of forest fires, chestnut trees provide chestnuts a staple food for humans and cattle, and the basis of local gastronomy, and they also bring in invaluable ecosystem services, such as protecting the soil from erosion, retaining moisture and groundwater, providing cooler microclimates, and creating microhabitats that foster the biodiversity.