ABSTRACT
The centre of Spain, like the whole Iberian Peninsula, holds a wide pastoralist heritage, as a result of the strong economic influence pastoralism has had in its history and the mix of cultures that contributed to develop highly efficient models of husbandry and land management based on extensive grazing. The influence has been so intense that the current processes of abandonment of rural environments and the loss of traditional activity, furthermore than generating unemployment and migration from livestock linked communities, is also leading to a lack of valuable habitats and ecosystems dependent on pastoralist practices.
