Universal Natural Heritage the Natural Parks Network
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[email protected] · parcs.diba.cat · [email protected] Tel.: (+34) 934 022 428 022 934 (+34) Tel.: Comte d’Urgell 187. 08036 Barcelona 08036 187. d’Urgell Comte Gerència de Serveis d’Espais Naturals d’Espais Serveis de Gerència Espais Naturals i Medi Ambient Medi i Naturals Espais the future. the this is one of the biggest management challenges for for challenges management biggest the of one is this population of 51,760 inhabitants. Without a doubt, doubt, a Without inhabitants. 51,760 of population DLB5933-2018 Press andCommunicationsOffice. in 2014, up to 50,166 ha. The territory is home to a a to home is territory The ha. 50,166 to up 2014, in the El Montseny Biosphere Reserve being expanded expanded being Reserve Biosphere Montseny El the that are developed in the massif led to the area of of area the to led massif the in developed are that Park app. Park parcmontseny @RBMontseny parcs.diba.cat/web/montseny parcs.diba.cat/web/montseny The local population and the economic activities activities economic the and population local The Oriental). Oriental). across three regions (Osona, La Selva and El Vallès Vallès El and Selva La (Osona, regions three across and Girona, and boasts over 18 municipalities spread spread municipalities 18 over boasts and Girona, and English © Josep Melero (Archivo XPN) (Archivo Melero Josep © mountain range, between the territories of Barcelona Barcelona of territories the between range, mountain © Oriol Clavera Oriol © Paper sourced from environmentally sustainable resources resources sustainable environmentally from sourced Paper El Montseny is situated in the Catalan Pre-coastal Pre-coastal Catalan the in situated is Montseny El internationally recognisable landscape. landscape. recognisable internationally public use of natural and cultural heritage. cultural and natural of use public Man’s relationship with the area has left behind an an behind left has area the with relationship Man’s It also promotes environmental education and the the and education environmental promotes also It intellectuals. intellectuals. development of the area. the of development Over time, El Montseny has inspired scientists, artists and and artists scientists, inspired has Montseny El time, Over the preservation of the parks and the economic economic the and parks the of preservation the Universal Natural Heritage Heritage Natural Universal It works towards achieving a balance between between balance a achieving towards works It forestry, cultural and scenic values of each park. each of values scenic and cultural forestry, © Iñaki Relanzón Iñaki © The Network protects the natural, agricultural, agricultural, natural, the protects Network The involved. drawn up with the participation of all the parties parties the all of participation the with up drawn agricultural areas is conducted through special plans plans special through conducted is areas agricultural The planning and management of the natural and and natural the of management and planning The of the population of Catalonia. of population the of Barcelona province’s territory and are home to 70% 70% to home are and territory province’s Barcelona municipalities. These municipalities represent 22% of of 22% represent municipalities These municipalities. It is comprised of 102,587 ha, spread out across 100 100 across out spread ha, 102,587 of comprised is It and cultural value. cultural and of 12 protected natural areas of significant scenic, ecological ecological scenic, significant of areas natural protected 12 of Barcelona Provincial Council’s Natural Parks Network consists consists Network Parks Natural Council’s Provincial Barcelona municipalities within its geographical scope. geographical its within municipalities Ensuring the territorial and environmental balance of the 100 100 the of balance environmental and territorial the Ensuring The Natural Parks Network Parks Natural The Extraordinary Biodiversity Making the Most Out of It Three ecosystems coexist in El Montseny: the Atlantic, the Whether you choose to take an improvised stroll or you prefer Eurosiberian and the Mediterranean. a longer stay full of programmed activities, it’s easy to make This array of habitats makes for a massif of great ecological good use of the park. importance, providing a home to such remarkable endemic The park has on offer a great network of facilities and species such as the Calotriton arnoldi. programmes that allow you to get to know the park better and Likewise, the massif is divided into three large mountainous to enjoy everything that is available to do. subunits: The El Montseny Natural Park boasts two documentation centres and various strategically located information centres and points to the south, the crest line of El Turó de l’Home (1,706 m) and distributed throughout the park, in addition to numerous signed Les Agudes (1,705 m); to the north, El Matagalls (1,697 m), and, trails, guided walks, inclusive dramatised routes, pedagogical to the west, the Pla de la Calma plain (Puig Drau hill 1,344 m). and cultural facilities, nature schools, camping and recreational Its great altitude and proximity to the sea means El Montseny areas, accommodation, audiovisuals, permanent exhibitions, is home to vegetation typical of the Mediterranean in the lower travelling exhibitions and informative publications. areas (holm-oak groves, cork oak groves and pine forest); of rainy middle mountains (mountain holm-oak groves and oak Workshops and environmental education activities and cultural © IEFC woods); and of Central European environments at over 1,000 © Jordi Folch and leisure programmes are also organised, such as Viu el parc m (beech forests and fir woods) and sub-alpine habitats at the (Live the Park) and Poesia als parcs. Lletres i paisatges (Poetry in summits (scrubs and high meadows). the Parks. Words and Landscapes) and the school programmes Coneguem els nostres parcs (Let’s Get to Know our Parks) and In terms of fauna, it is characterised by the existence of species From the Prehistoric to the Present The Environment and Life Montseny a l’escola (Montseny in Schools); a wide range of typical of Mediterranean climates (the wild boar, the fox, the Known everywhere for the beauty of its landscape, the first 85% of the park’s territory is private property and agriculture, things to do for discovering and enjoying nature, always in a genet, the goshawk, etc.) and others more typical of Central settlements in El Montseny date back to prehistoric times. livestock, forestry and the service sector are a source of respectful manner. European areas (the hare, the dormouse, the common frog and Testament to this is the discovery of stone axes and knives in wealth for its inhabitants. the Calotriton arnoldi, Catalonia’s only endemic vertebrae species). Aiguafreda, El Brull, El Montseny and Sant Marçal, the megaliths Agriculture, on the plains, and forestry exploitation and © Taller de Cultura © Fèlix Amat of the Serra de l’Arca and Les Pinedes and the Estelada stone of livestock, on the upper parts of the massif, were the economic the Pla de la Calma plain. foundations of El Montseny until well into the 20TH century. Later, during the Iberian period, the hills began to be occupied in However, with the onset of industrialisation, fodder crops a more stable manner, as demonstrated by the Iberian fortification substituted cereals and livestock gained prominence. On on the hill of El Montgròs, the Iberian archaeological site of El Puig the other hand, forestry work has always been a source of del Castell de Samalús and the fortified settlements of Montclús. income and supplementary resources: production of charcoal, The Romans, however, preferred to settle on the plains. wood, firewood, cork, chestnut poles, medicinal herbs, etc. is In the Middle Ages, the exploitation of natural resources intensified significant. and it was during this period that most of the farmhouses were At present, the decline in these activities has contributed to built. an increase in rural tourism, hotels and restaurants. Some of The church of Sant Pere Desplà with its pre-Romanesque paintings these establishments take part in the programme Parc a Taula and the parish churches of El Montseny, El Brull, La Móra and Sant (Park at the Table) and many of them have European Charter Marçal, among others, are of particular note. You will also find for Sustainable Tourism accreditation, which safeguards the the castles of Montsoriu (an impressive example of Gothic military development of tourism in the park for conservation purposes. architecture), Montclús, Fluvià, El Brull and Cruïlles, the fortified farmhouses of El Bellver and La Sala, and ensembles such as that of Tagamanent and Sant Segimon. [email protected] · parcs.diba.cat · [email protected] Tel.: (+34) 934 022 428 022 934 (+34) Tel.: Comte d’Urgell 187. 08036 Barcelona 08036 187. d’Urgell Comte Gerència de Serveis d’Espais Naturals d’Espais Serveis de Gerència Espais Naturals i Medi Ambient Medi i Naturals Espais the future. the this is one of the biggest management challenges for for challenges management biggest the of one is this population of 51,760 inhabitants. Without a doubt, doubt, a Without inhabitants. 51,760 of population DLB5933-2018 Press andCommunicationsOffice. in 2014, up to 50,166 ha. The territory is home to a a to home is territory The ha. 50,166 to up 2014, in the El Montseny Biosphere Reserve being expanded expanded being Reserve Biosphere Montseny El the that are developed in the massif led to the area of of area the to