When we were acquiring Quinta Picapau, we were fortunate to be able to wander freely around the property. Although heavily overgrown, we could see water and the potential to restore access to the terraces. The soil looked promising and there were areas of disturbed ground that we assumed had been created by Javali — wild boar.
But our attention stopped at the property boundary. We studied Quinta Picapau without properly studying the landscape surrounding it.
In hindsight, this was an important mistake. Had we read the wider landscape more carefully, we might have better recognised the wildfire threat presented by large areas of unmanaged neighbouring vegetation. In August 2018, catastrophic wildfire swept through the Serra de Monchique. Approximately 40% of our cork oak woodland was destroyed, representing an enormous ecological loss as well as the loss of future cork production.
“A property boundary exists on a map. A living system does not recognise it. Water crosses boundaries. Wildlife crosses boundaries. Seeds cross boundaries. Fire crosses boundaries.”
True stewardship therefore requires us to look beyond the land we own.