Why graze pigs in chestnut stands?
Before ink disease destroyed trees growing below 400 m above sea level, chestnut stands had been the most broadly distributed tree in Galicia (NW Spain). Currently, chestnut stands occupy over 60,000 ha in Galicia, mainly located in the eastern mountainous areas of Ancares-Caurel Natural Park, where close to 100 varieties are still growing and providing chestnut fruits. However, the orography with steep slopes renders the harvest of chestnut fruit unprofitable due to the high labour cost.