La Peraleña
Perales de Tajuña, Madrid
"La Peraleña" is a cooperative with 150 members and its own mill for the production of organic extra virgin olive oils. It was founded in 1955 by farmers from Perales de Tajuña, Tajuña Valley Region, Madrid. The pilot farms assessed in the project add about 10 hectares of productive olive groves. These are mostly centuries old olive trees and planted in a traditional way so that each tree can enjoy up to 120 m2 of land to provide their precious fruits in the most sustainable way, in ecological cultivation, it is exploited all under a rain-fed regime and under the Quality figure of organic farming.
The whole exploitation is located in the surroundings of the ZEC ES3110006 "Vegas, slopes and páramos of the Southeast of Madrid" (Special Conservation Area, Natura 2000 Network). And specifically one of the evaluated plots is within the ZEC. It is a region with a high biodiversity. Although olive groves are not included in the Habitats Directive, those parcels located in very sunny exposures, when they are no longer plowed, are covered with terophytic pastures, priority habitat 6220; those oriented to the north when they stop plowing, among the olive trees are raised rosemary, sage, etc. Habitat 4090
From La Peraleña environmental education activities and activities of recovery and improvement of resources are carried out: it promotes the recovery of olive groves that have been abandoned during the last years, and puts in contact with owners who can’t continue with the care of their olive trees and people interested in retaking it. They also offer advice on cultivation techniques, pruning, organic olive growing, etc.