The persistence of wild edible plants in agroforestry systems: the case of wild asparagus in southern Extremadura (Spain)

Abstract

As shown in the literature, preserving ecological balance in the Spanish dehesa has traditionally depended on the exploitation of its potential for multifunctionality. Given the increasing number of ecological, climatic, economic and cultural change processes threatening its integrity, new public goods valued by society or the reinvention and revalorisation of existing public goods is, once again, required to contribute to dehesa management in this dynamic context. Historically, humans and ‘wild asparagus’ (Asparagus acutifolius L.), have cohabited within this agro-silvo-pastoral system, establishing a mutually beneficial relationship, since wild asparagus proliferates in the mosaic of forest, shrubs, crops and fields that characterize the dehesa. In addition, this species shows a positive response to collection, which has increased in the last four decades. In the past, food and nutritional values were the most important factors accounting for human interest in wild asparagus. Currently these reasons have been superseded by social and symbolic motives. Today, wild asparagus is the most relevant wild edible plant for various types of users in the dehesa, while gathering events have become a remarkable social phenomenon. In this paper, we describe how wild asparagus is exploited by different users and offer an explanation for its continuing relevance in the dehesa agro-ecosystem, and its revalued importance for rural communities in southern Extremadura (Spain).