Rethinking the role of small rural orchards

Abstract

Rural landscapes across the Mediterranean Region have been shaped by centuries of socio-ecological coevolution. However, agricultural intensification and the abandonment of traditional practices have diminished landscape heterogeneity, thereby undermining biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services in these rural areas. Within this context, the present study examines, from a socio-ecological perspective, the role of small orchards managed under part-time farming (PTF) in sustaining multifunctional and resilient landscapes.

A socio-ecological characterization was carried out for 30 orchards located across 15 rural municipalities in the Community of Madrid, combining semi-structured interviews with biophysical analyses. These orchards—typically smaller than 500 m²—are mostly situated outside urban areas, on non-developable land with diverse soil types. They are primarily cultivated by men over the age of 50 and are non-commercial in nature, intended for self-consumption, recreation, and cultural preservation.

Hierarchical analysis was used to identify distinct management types based on irrigation systems, soil management practices, and biological control methods. Conventional management was found to be predominantly associated with older male farmers, whereas more alternative approaches were more common among younger and female farmers.

The findings demonstrate that these orchards make a meaningful contribution to both biodiversity and multifunctionality of rural landscapes. Despite their limited scale and economic productivity, their socio-ecological significance positions them as key elements within strategies for rural sustainability and territorial conservation.