José Pérez in the parish of Puxedo, Lobios (Ourense), walks down a dark street with his sheep. - Brais Lorenzo

“It’s sadder to have nothing”

José do Marqués, a humble shepherd from Puxedo (Lobios, Ourense), passed away a few months ago after a lifetime dedicated to the land. It was common to see him walking around the village with his flock of sheep. Like so many people, he believed in his farm animals and in a life deeply connected to the place where he was born. Despite witnessing the emptying of the area in recent years, he kept going out with his sheep almost until the end: “It’s sadder to have nothing”.

Baleira and the Void

Baleira and the Void

Baleira is a town of barely 1,000 inhabitants in the Galician region of A Fonsagrada. A Fonsagrada is also the largest municipality by territory in Galicia and, yet, one of the most sparsely populated: it only has 7.5 inhabitants per square kilometer, while Vigo, the Galician city with the highest population, has 2,690. Baleira —which means empty— has an even lower population density: 6.9 inhabitants per km². Baleira is a complete metaphor for the phenomenon of depopulation in Galicia. In 50 years, its population has decreased by 50%.

World Press Fires

World Press Fires

The summer 2025 fires in Galicia were historic. They affected so many hectares that they ended up merging with one another, devastating flora, fauna, and entire villages, such as San Vicente de Leira (in the region of Valdeorras, Ourense). This was captured by the camera of our colleague Brais Lorenzo. His work earned the prestigious World Press Photo 2026 award.

Alfonso works on his farm in the village of Ernes.

Living in Ernes: the village that returned

The village of Ernes, almost entirely depopulated—more or less forcibly—in the 1960s following the creation of the Grandas de Salime reservoir, seemed condemned to extinction.

View of the town of Beade (O Ribeiro) during the fire of August 16, 2025. (Photo: Brais Lorenzo)

The Harvest That Overcame the Fire

The smaller-than-expected impact of the fires on the vineyards was the result of a firebreak effect and a commitment to a life connected with nature.

The herds are led towards the town of Sabucedo during “A Baixa”, which is how the meeting and descent of the “bestas” towards Sabucedo, A Estrada (Tabeiros-Terra de Montes) is known. (Photo: Brais Lorenzo)

Rapa, in Wild Company

The communities of the Groba or Sabucedo mountains take charge of the ‘curros’ to preserve the wild horse and biodiversity in Galicia.

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