Sclerophyllous shrubby and woody vegetation on uncultivated land in the Mediterranean region is a source of browse that can be used efficiently by goats, cattle, camels and wild-life. The vegetation mosaic consists of different woody formations including trees, bushes, dwarf shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Traditionally, this Mediterranean shrubland, dominated by dense Kermes oak thickets, has been grazed mainly by multi-species herds dominated by goats. In the past these rangelands were subjected to multiple uses that included woodcutting, harvesting of culinary and medicinal plants, and cultivation on terraces and patches of deeper soil. With the decline of goat husbandry during the last few decades, commercial beef husbandry is considered a possible alternative. After initial thinning, relatively dense oak woodland can sustain a viable beef herd with moderate supplementation. In addition to agricultural production, these rangelands have significant recreational, conservation and landscape value. An outstanding feature of the effect of cattle grazing on the vegetation is the control of basal regrowth of oaks after tree thinning. The close cropping of the basal regrowth is similar to that normally associated with goat grazing. The open grazed brushland contributes to landscape diversity and increases the amenity value of the area for hiking and recreation. In Mediterranean vegetation communities, where fire is an important factor in evolution, grazing is also effective for fire prevention. Disturbances that include appropriate management of grazing, control of the shrub component and soil nutrient amelioration can lead to the development of relatively stable open woodland with a productive herbaceous under-story. More open landscapes, such as those shaped by the grazing of goats or cattle, present greater structural diversity expressed by higher accessibility, visibility and diversity of forms and shapes. Such a landscape provides a wider range of ecological services than those that can be derived from undisturbed successional shrub thickets.
