“Conscience for a living planet”

“Conscience for a living planet”

 WHY ARE CORK OAK LANDSCAPES IMPORTANT?

Cork oak landscapes have proven biodiversity, environmental and ecological values.

These landscapes are one of the best examples in the Mediterranean for balancing conservation and development for the benefit of people and nature. They sustain rich biodiversity and traditional livelihoods, provide opportunities for development in economically and socially disadvantaged areas, and play a key role in ecological processes, such as water retention, soil conservation or carbon storage. (Montero and Torres, 1993).

 Biodiversity values
The Mediterranean is one of the 25 global ‘hot spots’, characterized by a high level of species diversity.

In cork oak landscapes, plant diversity can reach a level of 135 species per square meter, and many of these species have aromatic, culinary or medicinal uses. Animal diversity is also high. Cork oak landscapes are important for the most charismatic and threatened species in the Mediterranean and a large number of migratory and wintering birds from Northern Europe, including virtually the entire European population of common cranes. They also contain a rich diversity of fauna, including endemic spiders, spade foot toads, geckos, skinks, vipers, mongoose, wild cats, roe deer, boars, Barbary deer and genets.

Cork oak landscapes are particularly well adapted to the harsh Mediterranean climate and soil conditions, supporting high biodiversity levels and sustainable economic activities (WWF MedPO and ERENA.) This makes their maintenance and protection crucial, and means that biodiversity conservation cannot be separated from economic and social development (Birot, 2005).

Key examples of threatened species found in the Mediterranean cork oak landscapes:

Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus)

Fewer than 100 (not counting cubs of the year)
The Iberian lynx has recently gone from the critically endangered species;^[1] to the endangered species;^[1] thanks to reintroductions and other conservation actions.

Iberian ImperialEagle (Aquila adalberti)

150 breeding pairs

The species is classified as Vulnerable by IUCN.^[1] Threats include loss of habitat, human encroachment, collisions with pylons, and illegal poisoning. There has also been a decline in the rabbit populations, as a result of myxomatosis and other viral illnesses.

Barbary Deer (Cervuselaphus barbarus)
Found only in North West Tunisia and North East Algeria.  No available estimate of number of individuals.

Black Vulture (also known as Cinereous Vulture) (Aegypius monachus )

1,050-1,150 breeding pairs in Spain (based on Tucker & Heath (1994); 800 breeding pairs in Spain (based on Castro & al, 1997)

This colony have now spread its breeding grounds to Portugal. 

Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)[1]; They no longer nest in Israel. More recently, protection and deliberate feeding schemes have allowed some local recoveries in numbers, particularly in Spain.

  

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
A total estimate for Spain of 350-400 breeding pairs

This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related white stork. It is seen in pairs or small flocks—in marshy areas, rivers or inland waters. The black stork feeds on amphibians and insects. 

Environmental services
Forests and woodlands play a vital role in protecting the environment. This is particularly true of steeply sloping watersheds where tree roots bind the soil and protect it from erosion and landslides. Uncontrolled forest clearance in upland areas can have major repercussions further downstream.

 

Water protection
Eroded soil may be carried by streams and rivers and deposited in reservoirs linked to irrigation and hydro-electricity projects, thus reducing the capacity and shortening the life of these costly investments. Carbon sequestration and energy conservation
Cork oak landscapes also contribute to store carbon, reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Cork
A natural resource, renewable, biodegradable and recyclable
• Natural cork is an environmentally-friendly material that completely biodegrades or can be readily recycled without creating any significant secondary waste.
• After use as a stopper, the cork bio-degrades without producing toxic residues or may be recycled into other products.

 THREATS TO THE CORK OAK LANDSCAPES
Cork oak landscapes now face a number of inter-related threats that put their sustainability at risk, including increasing human pressure on natural resources such as forest clearance for agricultural and other land uses, forest abandonment (particularly in the Northern Mediterranean), poor forest management practices, forest fires, changing climatic conditions, and associated diseases, as well as overgrazing. Many of these threats are caused by economic factors, often driven by policies and markets. One major threat comes from the increasing risk of decline in the global cork market, due to the growing use of cork stopper substitutes, which threatens to reduce the market value of cork, and thus the incentive to preserve and manage cork oak forests.

The likely consequences of a decline in the cork stoppers market on the cork oak landscapes.

This report shows that changes in the cork stoppers market pose a major threat to the cork oak forests conservation.

Projections used in this report suggest that unless current market trends are reversed, we may see accelerated loss and degradation to cork oak landscapes, which will be extremely hard to reverse.

This is because the survival of these cork oak landscapes is strongly linked to the maintenance of the market value of cork, which is currently dependent upon the wine stopper market.

Cork oak landscapes can be either positively or negatively impacted by the decisions made now by the wine producer, bottler or seller.

The increase in the market share of alternative wine stoppers, specifically plastic stoppers and screw tops, could cause a loss of the economic value of cork oak landscapes, thereby contributing heavily to the degradation of one of the best remaining examples of a system which balances the needs of biodiversity conservation and people.

 

THE OVERALL VISION OF WWF: ‘in 30-50 years’ time cork oak forest landscapes are maintained and restored, supporting economically viable and culturally and socially beneficial multi-purpose management systems. This leads to sustainable livelihoods, increased perceptions of the whole range of values, goods and services of cork oak landscapes and improved biodiversity’.

“Preserve your world, Preserve Yourself”

Source http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/corkscrewed.pdf

From the Leather Shoes to Cork Shoes

The oldest known leather shoe, about 5500 years old, found in Armenia.

* Archaeologists estimate that the leather shoe was made between 1800 and 1100 BCE, making it the oldest article of clothing discovered in Scandinavia. However, it is estimated that shoes may have been used long before this, but it is difficult to find evidence of the earliest footwear due to the highly perishable nature of early shoes. Earliest designs were very simple in design, often mere "foot bags" of leather to protect the feet from rocks, debris, and cold. They were more commonly found in colder climates.

As civilizations began to develop, thong sandals (the precursors of the modern flip-flop) were worn. Ancient Egyptian sandals were made from papyrus and palm leaves.

The Maasai of Africa made them out of rawhide.  - In India they were made from wood. - In China and Japan, rice straw was used. The leaves of the sisal plant were used to make twine for sandals in South America while the natives of Mexico used the Yucca plant.

Esparto sandals from the 6th or5th millennium BC found in Spain.

While thong sandals were commonly worn, many people in ancient times, such as the Egyptians, Hindus and Greeks, saw little need for footwear, and most of the time, preferred being barefoot.

The Romans, who eventually conquered the Greeks and adopted many aspects of their culture, did not adopt the Greek perception of footwear and clothing. Roman clothing was seen as a sign of power, and footwear was seen as a necessity of living in a civilized world, although the slaves and paupers usually went barefoot.

Did you know that during Weddings on this period, a father would give his son-in-law a pair of shoes, to symbolize the transfer of authority? Dutch Pattens, ca. 1465. Excavated from the archaeological site of Walraversijde near Ostend, Belgium.

A common casual shoe in the Pyrenees during the Middle Ages are espadrilles. These are sandals with braided jute soles and a fabric upper portion, and often includes fabric laces that tie around the ankle. The term is French and comes from the esparto grass. The shoes originate in the Catalonian region of Spain as early as the 13th century, and were commonly worn by peasants in the farming communities in the area.

Many medieval shoes were made using the turn shoe method of construction, in which the upper was turned flesh side out, and was lasted onto the sole and joined to the edge by a seam.

By the 15th Century, pattens became popular by both men and women in Europe. By 1580, even men wore them, and a person with authority or wealth was often referred to as, "well-heeled".

It was in 1935 that the Italian designer Salvatore Ferragamo created the wedge shoe. He designed the orthopaedic wedge in 1935 and the wedge heel in 1936. Salvatore Ferragamo used cork and wood because of a leather and rubber shortage. Cork was more popular than wood because it was lighter. The cork sole was also sturdy and durable.

Finally, in the 21st century, cork will again enjoy the respect and admiration that the Greeks and Romans afforded it as a noble and adaptable material.

 In this century in which environmental concerns have become a constant, the use of an ecological, recyclable and biodegradable material such as cork has increased, particularly in innovative areas such as Design for Sustainability and Eco-Design. 

Fashion Cork UK bought to you articles, such as Shoes, table, kitchen, leisure, furniture – Made from Cork  material, that is one hundred per cent natural and contribute to environmental sustainability.

Leave your comment and do not forget to visit our on-line store to enjoy wonderful gifts in cork. 

THE CORK FABRIC

Cork is the bark of the Cork Oak tree (Quercus suber L). It is an all-natural raw

It provides the sophisticated look and luxurious feel of soft leather or nubuck suede, but without maintenance worries. Cork is easy to clean with a damp cloth and stain free, it is water resistant and durable.

It is completely natural and sustainable and you’ll see why it’s the perfect material for Fashion accessories, Clothes and Much more.

Top 10 Reasons to Love Cork

Get to know cork in a whole new way.  We love it and we think you will, too!

• It is beautiful!
• Luxurious texture. Soft and supple, velvety or smooth, depending on the pattern.
• It’s unique. Cork leather can be made in an almost unlimited variety of patterns and colours.
• It’s water resistant.  Water beads up and rolls off. Easy clean up with mild soap and water.
•  Durable, fade resistant and lightweight.
• Versatile. It can be used anywhere you might use leather, plus applications where leather would never work – like an umbrella!
• Sustainable. Cork oaks are not damaged or cut down to harvest cork. Trees have a typical life span of over 200 years.
• Vegan and hypoallergenic.

Cork oak forests support biodiversity. 25,000 species are supported, including endangered birds, plants and wildcats.

A substance in the cork bark called Suberine prevents the cork from absorbing water, dust, dirt, mold and mildew.

Cork fabric is preferred by designers in the production of ready to wear clothing; Diane-von-Furstenberg, Arnaldo Ventura, and others.

By Arnaldo Ventura Cork