Ash Grove
Ávila
This unique ecosystem is the result of centuries of agro-pastoral use in the area. The narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) is the main protagonist. In normal humid conditions, it can exceed 20 meters in height, but these specimens have been subjected to successive pruning so that their leaves could be used as livestock fodder, which explains their “pollarded” appearance. This ash grove has a low tree density, allowing the presence of various species along edges and clearings, such as hawthorns, blackthorns, and brambles, as well as herbaceous plants that increase biodiversity. The oldest trees, with hollows in their trunks, provide shelter for birds such as scops owls, hoopoes, and nuthatches, as well as bats, dormice, and some reptiles.
