O Monte Alentejano na encruzilhada do tempo

Abstract

The traditional farm of Alentejo (monte alentejano) is a type of habitat with architectonic structures most often presenting a singular vernacular heritage, at least until the late seventies. During the last thirty to forty years, new social-economical dynamics have brought a greater rationalization of the agricultural systems, but this was accompanied with an increasing rural depopulation. What has been happening to the monte alentejano along that time? How have been introduced new functionalities? Is the monte condemned to disappear or become another reality? And what about its heritage values? As the authors consider that these questions have not been treated with the due competence by the politicians with institutional responsibilities nor been given the required attention by society, they have realised a comparative study of present situations in Central Alentejo, a fruitful comparison based on different landscapes. They have tried to see if the problem concerns the whole territory indistinctly or if it is deeper in some particular landscapes. Actually, the risk is that landscapes of high heritage value, as the montado, turn more and more exposed and deteriorated due to the need of producing for a global market, which implies the substitution of many traditional agricultural systems. Thus, the different ways that have been leading to changes in the monte alentejano have been analysed, not always evident nor easily perceptible alterations.