Protected Landscapes in Spain

by Robert Bovington

Spain has a rich scenic diversity. Vast areas of the country remain wild, rugged and sparsely populated and large parts of the country are protected. Within Europe, Spain leads the way in the conservation of its heritage. There are many categories of protection including national parks, natural parks and biosphere reserves. There are two biosphere reserves close to my heart and close to where I live - the Cabo de Gata and the Sierra Nevada. The Cabo de Gata was designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1997, the Sierra Nevada in 1986. Both meet UNESCO's criteria in that they are ecologically diverse and demonstrate a balanced relationship between humans and the environment.

The World Network of Biosphere Reserves is the collection of all 531 biosphere reserves in 105 countries (2009). Spain has thirty-three which is a proportionately higher number compared with other European countries.

These include the spectacular Ordesa National Park in the Pyrenees, the lowland wilderness of the Doñana National Park in western Andalucía and the snow-capped heights of the Picos de Europa in Cantabria.

The Sierra Nevada also has National Park status but, then, it has quite a lot going for it - it contains the Iberian Peninsula's highest mountains, which are the spectacular backdrop to the magnificent city of Granada.

Sierra Nevada - view from Puerto de Ragua
photo: Robert Bovington

Spain was one of the first countries in Europe to establish national parks when, in 1918, the Montaña de Covadonga National Park was established. Today, this beautiful area is known as the Picos de Europa, situated in the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain. Incidentally, the Picos de Europa has also achieved UNESCO Biosphere status. Currently, there are 15 national parks in Spain.

There are also many hundreds of natural areas that have been afforded protection. National parks are afforded the highest level of protection followed by natural parks. There are also natural monuments, special protection areas, nature reserves, protected landscapes, biotopes, nature enclaves, wildlife reserves, marine reserves, rural parks, natural landscapes of national interest and sites of scientific interest and, of course, biosphere reserves.

Natural parks are pretty special but there are too many to list here. Every autonomous community has a number of protected areas with Catalonia, Andalucía and the Canaries being the most prolific with several hundreds between them.

In Andalucía there are around 150 protected areas including 23 natural parks. Three of my favourites are the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park and the Sierra de las Nieves. All three are biosphere reserves.

Sierra de Grazalema
photo: Robert Bovington

Sierra de las Nieves
photo: Robert Bovington

Extract from my Pinterest "Spain - natural spaces" pinboard

for more picturesof Spain's natural spaces click on the following link

http://pinterest.com/robertbovington/spain-natural-spaces/

*** the above text is an extract from “Spanish Impressions” ISBN: 978-1-4452-2543-2 ***


more blogs by Robert Bovington...


http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/

http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/

http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/

http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/

http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/

http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/

http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/

http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Algeciras-Ronda railway

The Algeciras to Ronda train journey is a trip through some of the most beautiful countryside in Andalucía. The little three-carriage train winds its way past some of the attractive 'white towns' of the region and through the spectacular scenery of the Los Alcornocales and Grazalema Natural Parks.

British engineers built the line when Victoria was on the throne - I have often wondered whether she had some sort of stomach disorder the amount of time she spent there - sorry - I couldn't resist that! Many of the stations still have the original equipment and furnishings that were shipped out from Britain in the 19th century.

La línea de los ingleses - the 'English Railway' - is actually 110 miles long and continues beyond Ronda to the town of Bobadilla. The line is just one section of a large scenic route that stretches eastwards through Granada and on to Almería.

Robert Bovington

Natural Parks and other protected areas in Spain

by Robert Bovington

My article on National Parks highlighted the fact that Spain has a great variety of landscapes and that it is good at protecting its natural spaces - so much so, that it was one of the first countries to establish national parks.

At present, Spain has 15 national parks but there are many hundreds of natural areas that have been afforded protection. National parks are afforded the highest level of protection followed by natural parks. There are also natural monuments, special protection areas, nature reserves, protected landscapes, biotopes, nature enclaves, wildlife reserves, marine reserves, rural parks, natural landscapes of national interest and sites of scientific interest. 

There are also biosphere reserves. UNESCO award biosphere reserve status to those areas with great biodiversity and which demonstrate a balanced relationship between the ecosystem and the people living and working there. Not all national parks have biosphere status yet some natural parks do. At the time of writing, there are thirty-three biosphere reserves in Spain, yet only five natural parks have that status - Picos, Ordesa, Sierra Nevada, Doñana and the Timanfaya National Park in Lanzarote.

Natural parks are pretty special but there are too many to list here. Every autonomous community has a number of protected areas with Catalonia, Andalucía and the Canaries being the most prolific with several hundreds between them. 

In Andalucía there are around 150 protected areas including 23 natural parks. Three of my favourites are the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park and the Sierra de las Nieves. All three are biosphere reserves.

The Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park is located a few miles east of Almería. It is an area of unspoilt beaches with secluded coves and is Andalucía's largest protected coastal area.

Playa Monsul (Cabo de Gata)

The Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park is a vast area of rugged limestone mountains. It is located in Cádiz province, a few miles west of Ronda. Grazalema is the rainiest place in Spain that, undoubtedly, accounts for the verdant vegetation there. The griffon vulture is one of the species of wildlife that lives in the park.

Grazalema

The Sierra de las Nieves is located between Marbella and Ronda. It is a spectacular landscape of limestone mountains where mountain goat, roe deer, wildcat and fox roam and where eagle, vulture and falcon soar. Flora includes pine, chestnut, holm oak, cork oak and the native Spanish fir (pinsapo).

Sierra de las Nieves

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/