Conserving cork oak forests

Approximately 2.5 million hectares of Mediterranean cork forest extend across Portugal, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Tunisia and France. These oak forests support one of the world’s highest levels of forest biodiversity, including endemic plants and endangered species such as the Iberian Lynx, the Iberian Imperial Eagle and the Barbary Deer. They are also a vital source of income for thousands of family farmers, who for generations have worked these forests.

13 billion natural corks that are produced each year. Trees are not cut down to harvest cork, rather, the bark is harvested by hand every 9 years. Cork oak trees can live up to 300 years.