As traditional cork stoppers for wine are being replaced with synthetic alternatives, 100,000 Mediterranean Basin residents supported by the cork industry await an uncertain future. Cork harvesting and production has provided income to residents in a landscape where other economic means are limited. Cork harvesting also occurs without actual tree removal, retaining wildlife habitat in a uniquely biologically diverse landscape. A handful of severely endangered species have found refuge in the cork forests, but many fear that their fate is tied to that of the cork industry.
Cork is the cambium bark of the cork oak tree. It is peeled away from the tree truck every 9-10 years, the interval needed for regrowth, after a tree has reached about 45 years in age. This harvesting is often done traditionally with hand tools since a comparable mechanized method does not exist. This low impact harvesting allows for other enterprises such as cattle grazing, game hunting and mushroom harvesting to take place in the understory. Unlike the oil-based alternatives, the finished product is also biodegradable.
Many wildlife and plant species also reside in the understory. It is estimated that 135 species are found within only one square meter of the cork oak landscape. Among the species found are the endangered Bonelli’s eagle, Spanish Imperial eagle, Iberian lynx and the Barbary deer along with wolves, wild boar and genets.
Distribution of Cork Oak Forests in the Mediterranean Basin
Source: CEFE, 2005; click map to access an enlarged version
Cork as a Sustainable Enterprise
Cork oak forests cover over 2.4 million hectares in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. A third of these areas are in Portugal, which produces 50% of cork products worldwide. Cork is Morocco’s most valuable currency-earning commodity. Each year, US$1.7 billion is earned from cork stoppers and US$700 million in construction materials (FAO) with 15% of that amount going to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia (ISO). However, the industry is seeing declining revenues. Between 2001 and 2004, for example, Portuguese exports to Australia and the U.S. experienced a 24% decline from 142 million Euros to 108 million Euros. This decline is directly associated with the transition from cork stoppers to synthetic stoppers in the wine industry.
Driving Forces of the Cork Market Decline
Declining cork stopper use in wines has been attributed to many factors, including tainted wine and cheaper alternatives. In the 1980’s, fairly or unfairly, corks were associated with increasing incidents of tainted wine. Also, synthetic stoppers and screw tops are a ninth of the price.
The decline in cork stopper usage has not led to appreciable reductions in cork oak landscapes yet. In fact, the National Cork Quality Council states that due to good management and recent replanting, cork forests are currently expanding. However, it is widely expected that the decreased economic value of cork will increase pressures to exploit other resources from this landscape, resulting in habitat degradation and a long-term decrease in the land’s value.
Consumers Keeping Cork's Place
Cork as a wine bottle stopper comprises 70% of the total value of the cork market. If the use of cork stoppers continues to decline, another cork product will need to fill its place. The potential for cork to grow as a sustainable building material has yet to be assessed. However, if using natural cork in wine bottles could preserve forests and livelihoods, then perhaps a certification and awareness could move the public. This is a measure the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) are pursuing. Wine bottles with certified natural cork stoppers could join the numerous products consumers are buying to support the environment and sustainable development worldwide.
RELATED LINKS:
National Forestry Statistics indicate an increase in the cork forest areas
Portugal Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Main characteristics of the EU forest sector
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