## 6 Discussion
### Non-Food Neolithic Plant Exploitation Strategies
Although changes are seen in the use of fuel between the older Mesolithic and Neolithic phases, in this case no evidence associates them with alterations to the forest cover caused by human activity in the area, and they would be due to climate change. While post-holes and remains of wood have been found at the site, it does not seem that any large building would have existed nearby. Therefore, the decrease in the proportion of oak in the Early Neolithic compared with the Mesolithic can be linked to the 7.4 kyr event and the later recovery of this taxon at the end of the Early Neolithic would be a consequence of climate amelioration. The location of Coves del Fem in a narrow ravine above the river, surrounded by steep hillsides, would not have been favorable for agriculture or pastureland, although the presence of domestic cereals has been identified in the Neolithic levels, indicating their cultivation in proximate areas. The identification of sedges and cattails in fiber-based craft production in La Draga and Coves del Fem indicates the exploitation of riparian and wet environments where these taxa were available. In La Draga, they were also identified by palynology [22; 23; 64] and carpology [21; 47], as well as probably by a tuber belonging to a species of this family. Their identification demonstrates the use of local aquatic plants from Lake Banyoles and the Monstant river range. These families are commonly present in waterlogged niches and have colonized many sites after natural or anthropic disturbances [92; 93]. The use of other taxa for technological purposes has also been identified in La Draga. This is the case of best fibers obtained from the phloem of the stem of fibrous plants like nettle or flax. La Draga has provided seeds of nettle [21; 47] implying its availability in the site surroundings. The use of linden tree bark as raw material in craft production has also been recorded in La Draga. The selection of linden bark is a kind of forest management also described for other sites in Europe during the Neolithic [94]. Palynology indicates the availability of linden at local level, but the absence of charcoal remains of this taxon suggest the inhabitants of La Draga transported only the strips to the site. In addition, fruits of _Tilia platyphyllos_agg. were also identified and related to economic purposes or even as a medicine or remedy [47]. In fact, at La Draga, several species with medicinal properties have been documented, such as: strawberry tree (_Arbutus unedo_) with antiseptic, stringent and diuretic properties; common box (_Buxus semperirens_), with numerous applications as an alternative, antirheumatic, cathartic, chologogue, diphoretic, febrifuge, oxytocic and vermifuge among others; bay leaf (_Laurus nohilis_) with several applications as an antiseptic, aromatic, asringent, carminative, diphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emetic in large doses, emmenagogue, narcotic, parasiticide, stimulant and stomachic; and blackberry/rasberry (_Rubus_ sp.) with some species being anti-inflammatory, asringent, decongestant, ophthalmic, oxytocic and stimulant, or the abovementioned _Tilia_ sp., still being used as an antispasmodic, diaphoretic, encporant, hypotensive, laxative and sedative [95]. Cultivated plants also yielded non-edible by-products that were either used to feed domestic animals, as at La Draga [96], or for other purposes such as roofing, basketry or temper material. So far, the multidisciplinary analyses performed have detected the use of grasses for basketry, but it is currently not possible to ascertain if cereal straw was used for this purpose. To sum up, during the early Neolithic, settlement surroundings were intensively exploited for firewood, wood raw material, timber and plant fibers. The resources were obtained mainly from deciduous and pine forests, depending on the site localization, but also from riparian zones. The diversity of plants exploited was high, not only trees but shrubs and herbs.