In the cork oak forests of qinqueTerre.
The most important cork oak forests in the world are found in Portugal, Spain, Southern France, Italy and North Africa. The microclimate and soil types of these regions, allow the cork oaks to grow and flourish here, which serve as a source of raw materials for the cork industry.
Today, more than half of the world's cork raw material comes from Portugal. Cork trees are also grown in some other areas of the world, but cork harvested from the Mediterranean region is the only one of a quality suitable for the production of natural cork.
Cork oaks are important for the fauna and flora of the regions where they grow and they are a source of renewable raw material.
The cork oaks are also self-sustaining. Many forest fires devastated the Mediterranean regions over the years to the extent of thousands of hectares , pine trees , olive groves , eucalyptus trees and vineyards burned , requiring years of recovery .
Cork oak forests are not immune to massive fire. The massive fires, usually do not destroy the cork oaks, Mother Nature has equipped the cork oaks with fire resistant bark, which protects the trees from total destruction, thanks to the protective cork bark and return to full growth in a very short time. The insulating effect of cork and its protective properties can not be better illustrated?