de la serra calderona English version Parc Natural de la Serra Calderona Plaza del Ayuntamiento, s/n (casa de la cultura) 46119 Náquera (Valencia) Tel. 96 168 19 93 Movil: 679 19 52 38 [email protected] http://parquesnaturales.gva.es Assistance from: Layout: Benjamín Albiach Galán Kun.Xusa Beltrán Photography: Benjamín Albiach Galán Equipo de Educación Ambiental Map Design: Pau Pérez Puigcerver fuente: ICV (Instituto Cartográfico Valenciano) Texts: Equipo de Educación Ambiental Printing this material has been possible thanks to the Cooperation Agreement signed on 21st April 2006 by the Caja de Ahorros y Pensiones de Barcelona, "la Printed: IVADIS Caixa" and the Generalitat Valenciana (Autonomous Community Authority) for D. L.: Undertaking the Integral Management Plan for Conservation of the Natural Systems of the Valencian Communitys Network of Nature Reserves. Technical data: Date on which it was declared a Nature Reserve 15th January 2002 Date of PORN approval: 2nd April 2001 Date of PRUG approval: 4th April 2006 Municipalities inside the Reserve: Altura, Albalat dels Tarongers, Algimia d'Alfara, Estivella, Gátova, Gilet, Marines Vell, Náquera, Olocau, Sagunt, Segorbe, Segart, Serra and Torres Torres The “Sierra Calderona” Nature Reserve covers a surface area of 18,019 Ha, between the provin- ces of Castellón and Valencia, consisting of a mountainous alignment in NW-SE direction separating the basins of the rivers Palancia and Turia, extending through the counties of “Alto Palancia”, “Camp de Morvedre” and “Camp de Tùria”. It constitutes one of the most valuable natural enclaves in the Valencian Community, its natural-physical characteristics giving it outstan- ding ecological as well as landscape interest. If we go back in time the “Sierra Calderona” was inhabited by diverse civilisations, as can be seen from the different diverse archaeological finds. There are: - Signs of the Palaeolithic in the “Cova Margarita“ cave in Náquera - Remains of the Eneolithic at the “Puntal dels Moros”, Náquera - Remains of the Bronze Age on the Picaio; - Some major settlements in the Iberian age such as Arse (an Iberian town located in the Castle of Sagunto); the settlement in the “Puntal dels Llops” in Olocau is also Iberian. B. Albiach Galán The Roman age has left some appreciable remin- ders of its presence in Sagunto, a great econo- mic, commercial and cultural centre. The Iberian settlement of “Puntal dels Llops” Estivella aqueduct, the bridge in Torres Torres, and many remains of ceramics in Serra, Náquera, Olocau, and Gilet are also Roman. History But above all the most plentiful remains are This range of mountains has only recently been those of the Arab age: castles such as the ones in known as “Sierra Calderona”. What was it called Beselga, Olocau, Segart, Serra and Torres Torres before? The scholar Cavanilles, in his were Moslem fortresses playing a major role for "Observaciones sobre la Historia natural..." dra- their strategic situation in the conquest of wing on his travels around Valencia from 1795 - Valencia by El Cid. 1797, refers to the range with different names: “Montes de Segart”, “Montes de Serra y After the Christian conquest by Jaime I, many Nàquera”, “Serralada de Portaceli”, “Montes de Arab farmsteads, the origin of the present Cucalón” and “Montes de la Cueva Santa”. mountain villages such as Altura, Marines, Náquera, Albalat dels Tarongers, became the It was only from the 1950s that several traveller properties of great feudal lords. authors started to refer to this mountain range with the overall name of “Sierra Calderona”. Very soon after the conquest the La Cartuja de Portaceli monastery was founded in 1272. Of great historical and architectural value, its back- ground is closely linked to the history of Spain and the Ancient Kingdom of Valencia, 700 years economic consequences and a clear drop in the of history in all. population. Neither should we forget the “Cartuja de la Vall At several points in history the “Sierra de Crist” founded in 1401 which governed the Calderona“ became the stage for the different lives of the inhabitants of Altura for centuries. It conflicts here Moorish uprisings, the Germanías is now in ruins. war, the war of Succession, the civil war, giving shelter to the different combatants who made The Franciscan Convent of “Santo Espíritu del use of the rugged and inhospitable lie of the land. Monte” (1404), located in the valley of Toliu The myth of mountain bandits is well-known. dates back to the same age. More recently, since the 1950s, due to its proxi- The presence of Moslem settlements was consi- mity to Valencia, this has been a mountain scho- derable all over the Calderona range. They were ol for different generations, a place for many the main farm labourers meaning that the decree Valencians' enjoyment and leisure. driving out the Moriscos in 1609 led to serious Convent of “Franciscanos de Santo Espíritu del Beselga Castle (Estivella) Monte” (1404) B. Albiach Galán B. Albiach Galán Orography This range covers a vast surface area mainly developing under 1,000 m in altitude, with the exception of Montemayor, at the far north-wes- tern end, where it reaches a level of 1,015 m. Other major altitudes are the “Gorgo” (907 m.), “Rebalsadors” (802 m), “Oronet” (742 m) and “Garbí” (601 m) We should stress the Triassic western core, where one can find the presence of limestone mounds such as the “Mola Segart”, Xocainet or La Redona and above all, a part of the land with a prevailing siliceous nature in which spectacular crests of red sandstones appear (Gorgo, Garbí, Picaio) enveloping carbonated cores such as “Rebalsadors”, “Alt del Pí”, “Oronet” and “Peñas Blancas”. Climate The climate of the reserve is characterised by its Mediterranean system, with a moderate tempe- rature swing involving annual averages ranging from 16 to 17.5ºC with great irregularity in the rainfall, and annual values ranging from 350 mm to 600 mm, which in autumn can come in the form of torrential downpours. The summer drought is marked, except for isolated rain at times of storms. The hydrographic network corresponds to three main basins: the river Palancia to the north and the Carraixet ravine and river Túria to the south. The Garbí (601 m) B. Albiach Galán B. Albiach Galán “Rebalsadors” zone Vegetation The rugged orography and major changes in level, along with a presence of both carbonated and siliceous materials, means that a very wide range of vegetation can grow here. Human acti- vity and forest fires have nevertheless driven the climax vegetation into ravines and more inacces- sible zones, at present being dominated by pine trees, thickets and pastureland. The wooded areas are dominated by the pine tree, above all the Aleppo pine and accompanied by thickets of rockrose (Cistus salvifolius, C. monspeliensis), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), gorse (Ulex parviflorus) and heather (Erica multi- flora), with a prevalence of Mediterranean or Cistus albidus B. Albiach Galán maritime pine in decarbonated soils along with “Lledoner de la Cova Santa” (Altura) siliceous thicket species. The holm oak woods Specie: Celtis australis / “Almez”. are also fairly extensive, in their lower stratum Estimated age: 200 years. one can find honeysuckle (Lonicera implexa), sar- Height: 6.50 metros saparrilla (Smilax aspera), evergreen buckthorn Perimeter girth at 1.30 m: 4.30 m. (Rhamnus alaternus) and the fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) amongst other species, dif- “La Morruda” (Segorbe) ferences between the limestone and siliceous Specie: Olea europea / “Olivo”. holm oak woods being observable through the Estimated age: 1.500 years different species of bushes that accompany Height: 4.40 m these, such as the kermes oak, lentisc or rose- Perimeter girth at 1.30 m: 6.56 m. mary in the first case and the heather, rockrose and sage in the second. “Pi de la Bassa” (Portaceli- Serra) Specie: Pinus halepensis/ “Pino carrasco”. As for the cork oak, this is present in certain Estimated age: 175 years enclaves of subhumid ombroclimate on red Height: 18.50m sandstone, though scattered and not reaching a Perimeter girth at 1.30 m: 4,30 m mature stage at any point. In carbonated subs- trata with a dry semi-arid ombroclimate which does not allow the kermes oak to develop, a “Olivera La Morruda”, estimated age 1500 years macchia with extensive high cover dominated by the kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) and the len- tisc (Pistacia lentiscus); in the zones of the dry and semi-arid Mesomediterranean ground the kermes oak is characterised by lower height and cover and through the lack of thermophile ele- ments. Monumental and outstanding trees in the “Serra Calderona”: Natural de la Serra Calderona EEA del Parc “Pi del Salt” (Náquera) Species: Pinus halepensis/ “Pino carrasco”. Fauna As regards the fauna, the “Sierra Calderona“ has a great diversity of environments, which contribute to the existence of very diverse fauna, with species of great interest being found, above all predators. The bird life is extremely diverse, some prominent species being the goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), short- toed eagle (Circaetus gallicus) or the European nuthatch (Sitta europaea) in zones where there are trees; the blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius), the imperial owl (Bubo bubo), the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and Bonelli's eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus), in the rockier areas. Apart from this the mammals include the mountain cat (Felis sylvestris), the genet (Genetta genetta) or the badger (Meles meles). There is a major presence of the Spanish terrapin (Mauremys leprosa) and the ocellated lizard (Lacerta lepida). The latter can measure about 60 cm from head to tail, and is the lar- gest species of lizard in Europe. Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) B. Albiach Galán bí ar G Puntal de l e 515 l’Albarda SLV-24 d c n a r r a B 1 “El Pla del Garbí” Leave the car park heading east towards the view- Puntal Garbí 601 point and at the first stop you will see before you the “Pla del Garbí”, an extensive area with a clear 548 lack of tree strata as a result of fires in the 1970s Pla del Garbí 595 and 80s.