The mountains needs maintenance, but doing so is expensive. In León they have opted for four -legged firefighters and hooves

Environmental care does not always require large investments or technologies to the last. Sometimes, you just need controlled grazing to prevent problems in electrical networks. Everything may sound very confusing, but a pioneering project has found a great solution.

Short. As the saying would say, it is better to prevent than cure, and so is the Redeia project in the Leonese mountain that uses sheep, cows and horses to control the vegetation under high voltage lines. The “Network Pasture” initiative It has joined eight livestock farmsthrough its subsidiary Red Eléctrica, where more than 3,300 animals distributed in different areas of the province, such as La Robla, Villamanín, Pola de Gordón, La Ercina and Cistierna.

Grazing. In the Leonese mountain, the project covers 65 hectares and 28 kilometers of electric lines between Soto-Robla and Velilla-Robla. Grazing, which includes a total of 2,900 sheep, 370 cows and 35 horses, improves local biodiversity and reduces the risk of forest fires. This initiative is a clear example of how traditional livestock practices can contribute to the protection of nature.

In depth. “Network grazing” is part of your Comprehensive Impact Strategywhich seeks to generate value in the territories where their infrastructure are present, solving social and environmental problems of the communities. Besides, Its objective is Integrate extensive livestock with electrical infrastructure, using cattle to perform vegetation debrote tasks. This approach not only contributes to solving environmental problems, but also socially through employment creation and support for local farmers.

Latest technologies. In this project an innovation has been included and it is the use of drones for livestock management. Not only does it improve the efficiency in livestock management, but also offers new opportunities for the adaptation of livestock to the needs of the 21st century.

Previously. The initiative was launched in 2022 in Casares de Arbas (Villamanín), where cattle were started to control the vegetation under 3.5 kilometers of lying, about nine hectares. Since then, the project has grown, extending the grazed surface and increasing the number of participating farmers, with the collaboration of the Agrovidar company to manage the project.

According to The data collectedthe grazing areas have registered an improvement in biodiversity that other areas where grazing has not been carried out. This translates into a greater presence of arthropods, butterflies, pollinators and floral units. In addition, cattle have reduced biomass volume and modified the type of vegetation, thus reducing the risk of forest fires.

Expansion. The expansion of the initiative is taking shape in several locations in the province of León. It is also planned to be extended in the future with more livestock and more grazed areas, which could further benefit biodiversity and reduce the risk of fire in other areas of the region.

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