The Sheltering Giants
Holm oaks (Quercus ilex) are an integral part of a silvopastoral system that has existed in Portugal for millennia. Known as the “montado”, this unique ecosystem is a result of coevolution between trees, humans and their livestock. The holm oaks, for example, are suppliers of shelter to cattle, pigs, sheep and goat, as well as of food. Their acorns become the primary source of food for the Iberian pig during the fall and winter, giving their meat a characteristic taste.
Holm oaks (Quercus ilex) are an integral part of a silvopastoral system that has existed in Portugal for millennia. Known as the “montado”, this unique ecosystem is a result of coevolution between trees, humans and their livestock. The holm oaks, for example, are suppliers of shelter to cattle, pigs, sheep and goat, as well as of food. Their acorns become the primary source of food for the Iberian pig during the fall and winter, giving their meat a characteristic taste.
Holm oaks (Quercus ilex) are an integral part of a silvopastoral system that has existed in Portugal for millennia. Known as the “montado”, this unique ecosystem is a result of coevolution between trees, humans and their livestock. The holm oaks, for example, are suppliers of shelter to cattle, pigs, sheep and goat, as well as of food. Their acorns become the primary source of food for the Iberian pig during the fall and winter, giving their meat a characteristic taste.
This is a limited edition fine art print and each print is mailed with a certificate of authenticity. Photographs are printed on Hahnemühle Pearl paper and have a lifetime warranty against fading. The proceeds of all sales of my photographs will be donated to an endowment fund to maintain the Votuaná Nature Preserve in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is a 177 hectare preserve of Atlantic Rainforest, one of the world’s most biodiverse and most endangered forest biomes.
