Basketry as an ecosystem service of wetlands: traditional crafts in central Spain

Abstract

Ecosystem services from wetlands include products such as food, water, fibers, timber, medicinal plants, and genetic resources for agriculture. One of the most abundant supplies is the raw material for basketry. In this study we aim to document the role of wetland plants as resources for basketry and broom-making in the Guadiana river basin and to analyze the local traditional knowledge of the species used in the area. We describe different types of baskets and other artifacts, and document basketry techniques. We found 30 species belonging to 12 families, 18 of them occurring in wetlands, four in irrigated fields, and seven in the adjacent dry territories. Twenty species are used in the manufacture of brooms. Twenty two types of basketry artifacts are described with their uses. The area shows a relevant cultural heritage, not merely as it was in the past, but also adapted to the new cultural and social contexts. The degradation and loss of wetlands in central Spain threatens these ecosystems and their associated cultural heritage. We suggest the declaration of this intangible human heritage as the “Culture of the Mediterranean Wetlands” before it disappears.