Dehesa: A systematic literature review to assess its potential in Romania

Ioana Claudia Todirică¹, Laurențiu Ciornei¹,Simona-Petruța Simion¹,Victor Petcu ^1,2

¹CSRAB Bucharest
² NARDI Fundulea

Keywords: dehesa, biodiversity, literature review, agroforestry.

 Abstract: This study systematically reviews the potential of the dehesa agroforestry system for adaptation to Romania’s climate and agricultural landscape, addressing both environmental and social sustainability. The dehesa, widely implemented across Spain and Portugal, integrates holm and cork oak trees with grazing and traditional farming practices, promoting biodiversity and offering a low-impact, high-diversity model adaptable to climate variability. Given the environmental pressures from Romania’s industrial agriculture and habitat loss, this study synthesizes findings from 151 articles on dehesa systems, narrowing them to 11 key studies. The review categorizes findings into two primary themes: environmental benefits, such as enhanced microclimate stability, soil carbon sequestration, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and the perceptions of diverse stakeholders—including farmers, consumers, and policymakers—toward sustainable agroforestry. Environmental findings underscore dehesa’s role in lowering temperatures and increasing soil water retention, which could mitigate Romania’s summer droughts. Socially, stakeholder engagement highlights a robust interest in sustainable land-use practices. These insights provide a framework for integrating traditional agroforestry with contemporary agricultural policies, fostering sustainable agricultural practices in Romania.