Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park
Encyclopedia
Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park is a natural park
in the eastern and northeastern part of the province of Jaén, Spain
, established in 1986. With an area of 2099.2 square kilometres (810.5 sq mi), it is the largest protected area
in Spain and the second largest in Europe. It was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO
in 1983 and also a Special Protection Area
for migratory birds in 1988. Protection of roughly 700 square kilometres (270.3 sq mi) in the southern part of the park dates back to 1960, when the National Hunting Reserve of las Sierras de Cazorla y Segura (Coto Nacional de Caza de las Sierras de Cazorla y Segura) was established. Given its large area, embracing 23 municipalities
with more than 80,000 inhabitants, the level of protection varies from one part of the park to another, allowing a diversity of economic activity in the majority of the territory.
The beauty of the countryside and the rich flora and fauna combine with a rich cultural heritage to make the region an important destination for tourism.
These mountain ranges are considered part of the Sistema Prebético, the northernmost portion of the Baetic Cordillera
. Generally running southeast-to-northeast, they meet up with the Sierra Morena
that runs from this region west to Portugal
. Between the mountain ranges are important valleys, including the headwaters of the Guadalquivir
, which—after initially heading some 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) northeast through the mountains—runs west to the Atlantic Ocean
, but also of the Segura
, which runs east to the Mediterranean
.
Altitudes in the park range from 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) above sea level where the river Guadiana Menor flows out the southern boundary of the park to the 2107 metres (6,912.7 ft) peak of Cerro las Empanadas. Other important peaks are Alto de la Cabrilla (2078 metres (6,817.6 ft)), Cabañas (2027 metres (6,650.3 ft)), Las Banderillas
(1993 metres (6,538.7 ft)), Aguilón del Loco (1956 metres (6,417.3 ft)), Blanquillo or Pedro Miguel (1830 metres (6,003.9 ft)), and El Yelmo (1808 metres (5,931.8 ft)).
s of Jaén:
formations of dolomitic
limestone
, formed by the dissolving action of water on the soluble stone. Examples include the baroque Cerrada de Elías and Salto de los Órganos in the Borosa River. La Toba has been described as a "haughty staircase to heaven" of pure white travertine
, with labyrinthine caves of water along the right bank of the Segura in the hamlet of the same name. Or the Los Anguijones Caves on the right bank of this same river below the Anchuricas Reservoir, like two fantastic giants' abodes.
forest, with representatives of nearly all pine species found in the Iberian Peninsula
, the most abundant being European Black Pine
(Pinus nigra). These species were repopulated long ago and their growth has been aided by abundant rainfall. Beginning 900 metres (2,952.8 ft) above sea level are forests of Aleppo Pine
(Pinus halepensis), accompanied by Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo) and Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), more typical of the Mediterranean forests that once stood here. Yet higher are forests of Holm Oak (Quercus ilex), Portuguese Oak (Quercus faginea), and Gall Oak
(Quercus lusitanica), and important areas of Maritime Pine
(Pinus pinaster). In the wettest areas are ancient yew
s (Taxus baccata) and European Holly (Ilex aquifolium), both scarce in Andalusia. Along the rivers are Ash, Willow
s, and Poplar
s as well as reeds
and cattails that provide shelter to waterfowl and small mammals.
The park has some of the richest and most varied flora of the Mediterranean basin. More than 2170 species have been catalogued, 34 exclusive to the territory, among these the Cazorla Violet (Viola cazorlensis), the Cazorla Geranium (Geranium cazorlensis or cazorlense), and the Cazorla Columbine (Aquilegia
pyrenaica subsp. cazorlensis), as well as two endemic species of Narcissus (plant). Also of note is the carnivorous butterwort Pinguicula
vallisnerifolia.
Within the park is the Torre del Vinagre Botanical Garden, where representative plants of the region are on public display.
Among the 30 species of mammals living in the park are great number of deer
, Spanish Ibex
(Capra pyrenaica) and wild boars (Sus scrofa), as well as important populations of Mouflon
(Ovis aries orientalis), a wild sheep, and Fallow Deer
(dama dama). Except for the Spanish Ibex, these were introduced for hunting, and have caused some pressure on the native species. Wolves were also re-introduced in recent decades.
Among the 130 species of birds are the Griffon Vulture
(Gyps fulvus) and the Golden Eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos), as well as the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) in the process of repopulation.
The rock lizard known as the Spanish Algyroides
(Algyroides marchi) was discovered there in 1958. The park also has six species of amphibian
s.
painting sites, including in the Cuevas de Pardis near the Segura River, and there is evidence of Iberian
settlements dating from 2000 BCE.
A particular hazard is over-exploitation for tourism, especially at well-known locations such as the village of Arroyo Frío, where tourism has vastly increased with no changes to the infrastructure. The sewage treatment
plant at Arroyo Frío intended for about 400 people is saturated every weekend, when ten times that number of visitors arrive, and inadequately treated fecal matter makes its way into the Guadalquivir, to the detriment of fauna and flora.
There have been epidemics, such as the scabies
that decimated the population of Spanish Ibex in the 1990s,or the crayfish that became virtually extinct due to a fungus that spread after the introduction of American crayfish.
Equally, plant species have suffered epidemics that have damaged the health of extensive forest areas, such as the Pine Processionary
(Thaumetopoea pityocampa), a moth that does major damage to conifers.
Other lesser problems are illegal hunting and logging, animals killed on the highways that pass through the park, and reduction and fragmentation of habitats.
Climate change
from global warming
has already caused irregularities in the level of precipitation in Cazorla, which endangers the native plants and, by extension, the ecosystem
.
. Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas: Actividades: hiking, climbing, cycling, etc. Official page on the site of the Andalusian Autonomous Government. An unofficial portal for the park.
Natural park (Spain)
In Spain, a natural park is a natural space protected for its biology, geology, or landscape, with ecological, aesthetic, educational, or scientific value whose preservation merits preferential attention on the part of public administration. The regulation of the activities that may occur there...
in the eastern and northeastern part of the province of Jaén, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, established in 1986. With an area of 2099.2 square kilometres (810.5 sq mi), it is the largest protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
in Spain and the second largest in Europe. It was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1983 and also a Special Protection Area
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
for migratory birds in 1988. Protection of roughly 700 square kilometres (270.3 sq mi) in the southern part of the park dates back to 1960, when the National Hunting Reserve of las Sierras de Cazorla y Segura (Coto Nacional de Caza de las Sierras de Cazorla y Segura) was established. Given its large area, embracing 23 municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
with more than 80,000 inhabitants, the level of protection varies from one part of the park to another, allowing a diversity of economic activity in the majority of the territory.
The beauty of the countryside and the rich flora and fauna combine with a rich cultural heritage to make the region an important destination for tourism.
These mountain ranges are considered part of the Sistema Prebético, the northernmost portion of the Baetic Cordillera
Baetic Cordillera
The Baetic System is the main system of mountain ranges in Spain. Located in southern and eastern Spain, it is also known as the Baetic Cordillera, Baetic Ranges or Baetic Mountains...
. Generally running southeast-to-northeast, they meet up with the Sierra Morena
Sierra Morena
The Sierra Morena is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain.It stretches for 400 kilometres East-West across southern Spain, forming the southern border of the Meseta Central plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, and providing the watershed between the valleys of the Guadiana to the...
that runs from this region west to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Between the mountain ranges are important valleys, including the headwaters of the Guadalquivir
Guadalquivir
The Guadalquivir is the fifth longest river in the Iberian peninsula and the second longest river to be its whole length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is 657 kilometers long and drains an area of about 58,000 square kilometers...
, which—after initially heading some 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) northeast through the mountains—runs west to the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, but also of the Segura
Segura
Segura is a medium-sized river in southeastern Spain.It starts at Santiago Pontones , passes Calasparra, Cieza, Murcia, Beniaján, Orihuela, Rojales and ends in the Mediterranean Sea near Guardamar del Segura in the province of Alicante...
, which runs east to the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
Altitudes in the park range from 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) above sea level where the river Guadiana Menor flows out the southern boundary of the park to the 2107 metres (6,912.7 ft) peak of Cerro las Empanadas. Other important peaks are Alto de la Cabrilla (2078 metres (6,817.6 ft)), Cabañas (2027 metres (6,650.3 ft)), Las Banderillas
Las Banderillas
Las Banderillas or Cerro de las Banderillas, height 1993 m, is the highest mountain in the Sierra del Segura, a mountain range in Southern Spain.The Sierra del Segura cordillera, along with Sierra de Cazorla, is part of the Pre-baetic System...
(1993 metres (6,538.7 ft)), Aguilón del Loco (1956 metres (6,417.3 ft)), Blanquillo or Pedro Miguel (1830 metres (6,003.9 ft)), and El Yelmo (1808 metres (5,931.8 ft)).
Comarcas
The natural park is composed of municipalties of three comarcaComarca
A comarca is a traditional region or local administrative division found in parts of Spain, Portugal, Panama, Nicaragua, and Brazil. The term is derived from the term marca, meaning a "march, mark", plus the prefix co- meaning "together, jointly".The comarca is known in Aragonese as redolada and...
s of Jaén:
- The Comarca of Sierra de Cazorla, some 40 percent of whose terrain falls inside the park, constituting 24.5 percent of the park.
- The Comarca of Sierra de Segura, some 40 percent of whose terrain falls inside the park, constituting 67.1 percent of the park. 32.5 percent of the park falls within the single municipality of Santiago-PontonesSantiago-PontonesSantiago-Pontones is a city located in the province of Jaén, Spain. According to the 2005 census , the city has a population of 4131 inhabitants....
. - The Comarca of las Villas, constituting the remaining 8.3 percent of the park.
Geology
Throughout the park are magnificent karsticKarst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
formations of dolomitic
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, formed by the dissolving action of water on the soluble stone. Examples include the baroque Cerrada de Elías and Salto de los Órganos in the Borosa River. La Toba has been described as a "haughty staircase to heaven" of pure white travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
, with labyrinthine caves of water along the right bank of the Segura in the hamlet of the same name. Or the Los Anguijones Caves on the right bank of this same river below the Anchuricas Reservoir, like two fantastic giants' abodes.
Flora
Within these mountain ranges is Spain's largest continuous area of pinePine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forest, with representatives of nearly all pine species found in the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, the most abundant being European Black Pine
European Black Pine
Pinus nigra, the European Black Pine, is a moderately variable species of pine, occurring across southern Mediterranean Europe from Spain to the Crimea, in Asia Minor and on Cyprus, and in the high mountains of the Maghreb in North Africa....
(Pinus nigra). These species were repopulated long ago and their growth has been aided by abundant rainfall. Beginning 900 metres (2,952.8 ft) above sea level are forests of Aleppo Pine
Aleppo Pine
Pinus halepensis, commonly known as the Aleppo Pine, is a pine native to the Mediterranean region. Their range extends from Morocco and Spain north to southern France, Italy and Croatia, and east to Greece and northern Tunisia, and Libya, with an outlying population in Syria, Lebanon, southern...
(Pinus halepensis), accompanied by Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo) and Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), more typical of the Mediterranean forests that once stood here. Yet higher are forests of Holm Oak (Quercus ilex), Portuguese Oak (Quercus faginea), and Gall Oak
Quercus lusitanica
Quercus lusitanica, commonly known as Gall Oak, Lusitanian Oak, or Dyer's Oak, is a species of oak native to Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. Q. lusitanica is the source of commercial nutgalls. These galls are produced by the infection from the insect Cynips gallae tinctoriae...
(Quercus lusitanica), and important areas of Maritime Pine
Maritime Pine
Pinus pinaster, the Maritime Pine, is a pine native to the western and southwestern Mediterranean region. The pejorative name 'pinaster' is derived from pinus + aster, translating as 'a poor imitation of a pine' Pinus pinaster, the Maritime Pine, is a pine native to the western and southwestern...
(Pinus pinaster). In the wettest areas are ancient yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
s (Taxus baccata) and European Holly (Ilex aquifolium), both scarce in Andalusia. Along the rivers are Ash, Willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
s, and Poplar
Poplar
Populus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
s as well as reeds
Reed bed
Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reed beds are part of a succession from young reed colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground...
and cattails that provide shelter to waterfowl and small mammals.
The park has some of the richest and most varied flora of the Mediterranean basin. More than 2170 species have been catalogued, 34 exclusive to the territory, among these the Cazorla Violet (Viola cazorlensis), the Cazorla Geranium (Geranium cazorlensis or cazorlense), and the Cazorla Columbine (Aquilegia
Aquilegia
Aquilegia is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers.-Etymology:The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle , because...
pyrenaica subsp. cazorlensis), as well as two endemic species of Narcissus (plant). Also of note is the carnivorous butterwort Pinguicula
Pinguicula
The butterworts are a group of carnivorous plants comprising the genus Pinguicula. Members of this genus use sticky, glandular leaves to lure, trap, and digest insects in order to supplement the poor mineral nutrition they obtain from the environments. Of the roughly 80 currently known species, 12...
vallisnerifolia.
Within the park is the Torre del Vinagre Botanical Garden, where representative plants of the region are on public display.
Fauna
The variety of fauna is also vast. There are 50 species of invertebrates found nowhere else.Among the 30 species of mammals living in the park are great number of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, Spanish Ibex
Spanish ibex
The Iberian ibex, Spanish ibex, Spanish wild goat, or Iberian wild goat is a species of ibex with four subspecies. Of these, two can still be found on the Iberian Peninsula, but the remaining two are now extinct. The Portuguese subspecies became extinct in 1892 and the Pyrenean subspecies became...
(Capra pyrenaica) and wild boars (Sus scrofa), as well as important populations of Mouflon
Mouflon
The mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
(Ovis aries orientalis), a wild sheep, and Fallow Deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
(dama dama). Except for the Spanish Ibex, these were introduced for hunting, and have caused some pressure on the native species. Wolves were also re-introduced in recent decades.
Among the 130 species of birds are the Griffon Vulture
Griffon Vulture
The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...
(Gyps fulvus) and the Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
(Aquila chrysaetos), as well as the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) in the process of repopulation.
The rock lizard known as the Spanish Algyroides
Spanish Algyroides
The Spanish Algyroides is a species of lizard in the Lacertidae family.It is endemic to Spain.Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, and rocky areas.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
(Algyroides marchi) was discovered there in 1958. The park also has six species of amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s.
Human history
The park contains prehistoric RupestrianCave painting
Cave paintings are paintings on cave walls and ceilings, and the term is used especially for those dating to prehistoric times. The earliest European cave paintings date to the Aurignacian, some 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the paleolithic cave paintings is not known...
painting sites, including in the Cuevas de Pardis near the Segura River, and there is evidence of Iberian
Iberians
The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
settlements dating from 2000 BCE.
Threats
The chief threats to the park, as much for flora as for fauna, are the recurring forest fires, which have become more frequent and have had disastrous effects for some portions of the park. Development and human activity continue to be a grave threat, requiring a proportional increase in vigilance and firefighting, as the fire risk continues to rise: burned in La Vacarizuela at the beginning of the 1990s, as did roughly 1000 hectares (2,471.1 acre) at Torre del Vinagre in 1986.- In 2001, by the Puerto de las Palomas some 800 hectares (1,976.8 acre) were burned intentionally, but as of 2009 there has been no systematic replanting.
- In summer 2005 in the Sierra de las Villas and the west side of the Tranco over 5000 hectares (12,355.3 acre) burned after an electrical stormElectrical stormElectrical storm may refer to:* A thunderstorm* A medical condition of chaotic electrical activity of the heart, usually manifested by ventricular tachycardia* "Electrical Storm" , song by U2...
en the middle of a record heat wave; right in the heart of the park, this was the most massive and devastating disaster in the park's history.
A particular hazard is over-exploitation for tourism, especially at well-known locations such as the village of Arroyo Frío, where tourism has vastly increased with no changes to the infrastructure. The sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
plant at Arroyo Frío intended for about 400 people is saturated every weekend, when ten times that number of visitors arrive, and inadequately treated fecal matter makes its way into the Guadalquivir, to the detriment of fauna and flora.
There have been epidemics, such as the scabies
Scabies
Scabies , known colloquially as the seven-year itch, is a contagious skin infection that occurs among humans and other animals. It is caused by a tiny and usually not directly visible parasite, the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows under the host's skin, causing intense allergic itching...
that decimated the population of Spanish Ibex in the 1990s,or the crayfish that became virtually extinct due to a fungus that spread after the introduction of American crayfish.
Equally, plant species have suffered epidemics that have damaged the health of extensive forest areas, such as the Pine Processionary
Pine Processionary
The Pine Processionary is a moth of the family Thaumetopoeidae. It is sometimes placed in the genus Traumatocampa. It is an abundant species of pine woods in central and southern Europe....
(Thaumetopoea pityocampa), a moth that does major damage to conifers.
Other lesser problems are illegal hunting and logging, animals killed on the highways that pass through the park, and reduction and fragmentation of habitats.
Climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
from global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
has already caused irregularities in the level of precipitation in Cazorla, which endangers the native plants and, by extension, the ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
.
External links
El Parque Natural, official page on the site of the municipality of Segura de la Sierra. Includes a map of the park and a list of the municipalities that fall within it. Parque Natural Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas, official page on the site of the Andalusian Autonomous GovernmentAndalusian Autonomous Government
The Andalusian Autonomous Government is the regional government body of Andalusia, one of the 17 autonomous communities which make up Spain...
. Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas: Actividades: hiking, climbing, cycling, etc. Official page on the site of the Andalusian Autonomous Government. An unofficial portal for the park.