Cap de Creus vineyard mosaic acts as firebreak near Roses

A wine estate inside the Parc Natural del Cap de Creus is showing how farming can help protect the landscape from wildfires. At Mas Marès, vines share the land with pasture, cork oak woodland, scrub, dry stone walls and open ground. Together they form a patchwork that slows the spread of fire and helps shield the built-up area of Roses.

The Cap de Creus natural park covers the rocky peninsula at the northern end of the Costa Brava, a short drive from Empuriabrava and Castelló d'Empúries.

An old model brought back

The project began in 2003. Anna Espelt, an oenologist, biologist and director of Espelt Viticultors, started working with the managers of the natural park to recover a way of managing land that had been almost forgotten. In Catalan it is called the "mosaic agroforestal", or agroforestry mosaic.

The idea is to find a balance between agriculture and nature. Instead of large, uniform areas of either crops or woodland, the land is divided into different uses that sit side by side. The approach supports biodiversity and keeps the landscape varied, alive and able to recover from damage.

How the pieces fit together

The mosaic works because of the way its parts relate to each other. Each element has its own role within the whole.

On the highest parts of the estate, transhumant cows graze. These are cattle that move between seasonal pastures, and at Mas Marès they come down from the Pyrenees. Their grazing keeps grass and other low vegetation short.

Lower down, terraces, cleared strips and cultivated plots break up the continuous cover of plants. This alternation keeps some areas open. It also means farming and the natural surroundings do not operate as two separate worlds, but as parts of the same system.

More than just vines

The dry stone walls, known locally as "marges de pedra seca", have several functions. They hold water, protect the soil from erosion and give shelter to different animals.

Between the rows of vines, a layer of plant cover is allowed to grow. This feeds insects and other wildlife.

The estate also has a pond filled by rainwater, where amphibians can breed. A nesting tower has been put up for kestrels. These features show that the ecosystem at Mas Marès reaches well beyond the vineyard itself.

A natural firebreak

The mosaic matters even more because of where the estate is located. The area is especially exposed to the risk of wildfire.

The mix of vines, pasture and open spaces creates gaps in the vegetation. These gaps make it harder for flames to advance. They also create zones where firefighters can work more safely if a blaze breaks out.

In this way, Mas Marès acts as a natural firebreak. It also serves as a safety and protection strip for the urban area of Roses.

That role has already been tested. During the fire of February 2022, the mosaic helped to hold back the advance of the flames.

The Bigger Picture

For readers in Empuriabrava and the wider Alt Empordà, wildfire is not an abstract concern. The Cap de Creus peninsula sits right next to Roses, and the landscape between the mountains and the coast is where many homes, holiday properties and walking routes are found. The Mas Marès example suggests that the way land is farmed can directly affect how safe nearby towns are when fire breaks out.

It also connects two things the region is known for. The Empordà has a strong wine culture, visible in events such as the Empordà Wine Fair in Figueres and initiatives like Beu-te el museu, which pairs museums with local wineries. What happens at Mas Marès shows that vineyards can play a role beyond producing wine. They can be part of how the landscape is protected.

The broader lesson is that open, worked land acts as a buffer. When farming and grazing disappear from hillsides, vegetation tends to grow back in a continuous mass, which can make fires harder to stop. The recovery of the mosaic model at Mas Marès points in the opposite direction.

It is worth watching whether other estates and landowners in and around the natural park follow a similar approach, and whether public bodies give more support to farming that also serves as fire prevention. For visitors, the estate is also a reminder that the terraces, stone walls and grazing cattle seen on the way to Cap de Creus are not just scenery. They may be part of what keeps the area safe.