The sixth edition of the Cork School has begun in the Sierra Morena Natural Park of Seville with 18 apprentices. The initiative aims to ensure generational renewal in the countryside and retain rural populations.
The Territorial Delegation of Sustainability and Environment in Seville, in collaboration with the Agency for Environment and Water (Amaya), has launched the sixth edition of the Cork School, a training program that combines theoretical and practical teaching of cork extraction. The initiative takes place in the Sierra Morena Natural Park of Seville, where 215,000 kilos of high-quality cork have already been extracted from an area of 2,193 hectares.
Two work teams and a thousand workdays
The operation consists of two teams made up of 32 and 26 workers respectively, who are responsible for the extraction tasks. According to the Junta de Andalucía, it is expected that at least one thousand workdays will be generated to complete all the work. The Sustainability delegate, Inmaculada Gallardo, highlighted that this management model, outlined in the Comprehensive Management Plan for the Sierra Norte de Sevilla (PGI), "dynamizes the territory and ensures responsible use of natural resources."
Practical and theoretical training for generational renewal
The school has 18 apprentices guided by two expert corkers. The content covers everything from knowledge of the cork oak and its habitat to extraction techniques, logging, and classification, as well as occupational risk prevention. Gallardo explained that the goal is to "train young people in the tasks related to cork extraction, an activity that requires high specialization and for which there is a high demand for labour."
Cork, a key resource for the rural economy
Andalusia produces 16% of the world's cork, a natural material with no synthetic substitute. In the province of Seville, the production is destined for quality stoppers, technical corks, and crushed cork for multiple applications. The extracted cork is classified and publicly auctioned, generating income for rural municipalities. Additionally, cork oaks provide ecosystem services such as CO2 capture and biodiversity conservation.
An internationally renowned natural park
The Sierra Morena Natural Park of Seville, with 177,484 protected hectares, is a Biosphere Reserve, ZEC, ZEPA, and UNESCO Global Geopark. The management by the Junta focuses on habitat protection, fire prevention, and promoting public use, consolidating this area as a driver of sustainable rural development.
Residents of the Sierra Norte can benefit from the job creation and economic dynamism generated by this activity. The school also offers a job opportunity to young people in the area, helping to retain the population in the territory. The cork extraction campaign for 2026 continues its course, and the central cork yard in Las Navas will receive all the production for subsequent marketing.
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