Community of Madrid declares transhumance a Cultural Interest Asset

The Governing Council of the Community of Madrid has officially declared transhumance a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC) under the category of intangible heritage. This designation recognizes the seasonal movement of sheep, goat, and cattle livestock between ecosystems in search of better pastures and climates, a practice that has shaped the region's social and cultural landscape for centuries.

Transhumance has left a significant mark on the region's architectural and ethnographic heritage, including structures such as shepherd shelters (chozos), corrals, and enclosures. It also established an extensive network of livestock paths, known as vías pecuarias, including the Cañada Real Segoviana and the Cañada Real Leonesa Oriental, which historically facilitated economic and cultural exchanges across territories.

This regional recognition follows the inclusion of transhumance in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023.