3 table of contents Introduction 3 Picos de Europa 6 Ordesa y Monte Perdido 8 Teide introduction 10 The National Parks Network is an integrated system for Caldera de Taburiente 12 DOSSIER the protection and management of a selection of the foremost Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici 14 examples of Spanish natural heritage. It is made up of the national parks, the regulatory framework, the material and Doñana 16 human resources, the institutions, and the system of relations Tablas de Daimiel 18 necessary for their operation. Timanfaya 20 Garajonay 22 Its aim is to ensure the conservation of the national parks and Archipiélago de Cabrera enable their use by the general public and the expansion of 24 scientific knowledge of their natural and cultural values, as Cabañeros 26 NATIONAL PARKS NETWORK PARKS NATIONAL well as promote social awareness of the need for conservation, Sierra Nevada 28 the exchange of knowledge and experiences with regard to sustainable development, training and qualification of Islas Atlánticas de Galicia 30 Monfragüe the professionals working therein, and their integration and 32 participation in international networks and programmes. In Sierra de Guadarrama 34 the Network, 4 of the 6 biogeographical regions in Europe are List of species referred to 36 represented: Alpine, Atlantic, Macaronesian, and Mediterranean. A national park is a protected area with high ecological and cultural value which has been little changed by human activities. Due to the beauty of its landscapes, the representativeness of its ecosystems, or the uniqueness of its flora, fauna, geology or geomorphological formations, it has certain outstanding ecological, aesthetic, cultural, educational, and scientific values whose conservation deserves priority treatment and is thereby declared to be of national interest for the Spanish State. National parks can be a driving force behind the economic development of the regions where they are located, enabling sustainable use of their resources which is consistent with an improvement in the quality of life of their inhabitants. Photos CENEAM photo library Texts CENEAM Documentation Centre In Spain, there are 15 national parks at present, although the National Parks Cumbres de la Sierra de Guadarrama will soon be declared one Design and layout Álvaro García Cocero - CENEAM as well. Mayo 2015 contents contents 4 PICOS DE EUROPA ORDESA Y MONTE TEIDE CALDERA DE AIGÜESTORTES I ESTANY PERDIDO TABURIENTE DE SANT MAURICI national data Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Asturias, Cantabria, and Aragon Canary Islands Canary Islands Catalonia Castile-Leon Province Province Province Province sheet Area Huesca Santa Cruz de Tenerife Santa Cruz de Tenerife Lleida 67,127 hectares Area (Tenerife Island) (La Palma) Area parks Establishment 15,608 hectares Area Area 14,119 hectares Law of 24 July 1918 Establishment 18,990 hectares 4,690 hectares Establishment Enlargement Royal Decree of 16 August 1918 Establishment Establishment Decree of 21 October 1955 Administrative Decision of Reclassification and enlargement Decree of 22 January 1954 Royal Decree of 6 October 1954 Reclassification 4 February 2015 Law 52/1982 of 13 July Reclassification Reclassification and enlargement Law 7/88 of 30 March network Law 5/1981 of 25 March Law 4/1981 of 25 March Enlargement Enlargement Decree 234/96 of 26 June of the Administrative Decision 14 October 1999 Government of Catalonia DOÑANA TABLAS DE DAIMIEL TIMANFAYA GARAJONAY ARCHIPIÉLAGO MARÍTIMO TERRESTRE DE CABRERA Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Andalusia Castile-La Mancha Canary Islands Canary Islands Province Autonomous Community Province Province Province Balearic Islands Huelva and Seville Ciudad Real Las Palmas Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Gomera) Area Area Area (Lanzarote Island) 10,021 hectares 54,252 hectares 3,030 hectares Area Area 3,948 hectares Establishment Establishment Establishment 5,107 hectares Law 14/91 of 29 April Decree 241/69 of 16 October Decree 1874/73 of 28 June Establishment Establishment Reclassification and enlargement Reclassification Decree 2615/74 of 9 August Law 3/81 of 25 March Law 91/1978 of 28 December Law 25/80 of 3 May Reclassification Administrative Decision of 6 February Enlargement Law 6/81 of 25 March 2004 Administrative Decision 21 January 2014 CABAÑEROS SIERRA NEVADA MARÍTIMO TERRESTRE MONFRAGÜE SIERRA DE ISLAS ATLÁNTICAS GUADARRAMA Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Autonomous Community Castile-La Mancha Andalusia Galicia Extremadura Castile-Leon and Madrid Province Province Province Province Province Ciudad Real and Toledo Granada and Almería Pontevedra and A Coruña Cáceres Segovia and Madrid Area Area Area Area Area 40,856 hectares 85,883 hectares 8,480 hectares 18,396 hectares 33,960 hectares Establishment Establishment Establishment Establishment Establishment Law 33/95 of 20 November Law 3/1999 of 11 January Law 15/2002 of 1 July Law 1/2007 of 2 March Law 7 of 25 June 2013 Enlargement Art. 121 of Law 53/2002 of 30 December Administrative Decision of 15 November 2005 contents itineraries 6 booking office 7 park website CENEAM photo library picos de europa ecosystem socioeconomic PHOTO It was declared a national park in 1995, replacing DOSSIER and expanding on the former Montaña de Its proximity to the Cantabrian Sea, providing aspects gallery DOSSIER picos de europa picos Covadonga National Park—the first park in the sufficient moisture for the development of lush One of the traditional activities that man has vegetation, and the enormous altitudinal gradient engaged in since time immemorial is livestock state network established in 1918. In olden times, By clicking on any image, the seafarers who sailed the Cantabrian Sea called of the Picos de Europa, have given rise to a wide farming, which are mainly family-owned. The variety of habitats and ecosystems teeming with the entire file will open, area’s livestock population is mainly composed of enabling its download. these mountains the “Peñas de Europa (Crags of plant and animal species. Europe)”, as they were what they first glimpsed of cows, sheep, goats, and horses, with cheese as one The most outstanding ecosystem is the Atlantic of the traditional foods with the greatest economic the continent. Later on, this evolved to its current forest composed of European beech, oak, relevance in the area. More than twenty different name of “Picos de Europa”. linden, ash, hazel, sweet chestnut, etc; in the varieties are produced, among which Picón, mid-elevation areas, there are juniper, broom, Ahumado de Aliva, Gamonedo, and Cabrales and heath shrubs, and in the high mountains, NATIONAL PARKS NETWORK PARKS NATIONAL It is the largest formation of limestone mountains cheese stand out. NETWORK PARKS NATIONAL in Atlantic Europe, made up of the Eastern or herbaceous species that are adapted to extreme Andara Massif, the Central or Urrielles Massif, conditions, such as the spring gentian, are found. The hórreo is a characteristic feature of popular where Naranjo de Bulnes is found, and the Western architecture in the Picos de Europa, with many of or Cornión Massif. Located on the northern face flora them under the protection of the authorities. They of the Cantabrian Mountains, with important are used to store and keep the farm products that Pedro Pidal Visitor Centre Buferrera-Lagos de Covadonga Service Area karstic processes and glacial erosion, where many The European beech is the most representative have been collected throughout the year in a cool, dry place away from rodents. The arcade of the Lagos de Covadonga different rivers (Deva, Duje, Cares, and Dobra) and forest species in the wooded areas, although the mountain grasslands are vegetation that is highly hórreo was used to protect the carts and wagons (Contact: See information on Casa Dago) lakes (Enol and Ercina) are found. abundant in this park with intensive livestock from sun and rain. activities. Casa Dago Information Office Its proximity to the Cantabrian Sea is the reason In addition, more than 1700 plant species have Avda. de Covadonga, 43 why the green and grey of bare limestone are the been inventoried and fungi, mosses, and lichens 33550 Cangas de Onís – Asturias predominant colours of its landscape. are currently under study. Tel.: 985 849 154 – 985 848 614 This protected area of high mountains surrounding tourism [email protected] [email protected] moist forests divided by permanent grasslands, is fauna Picos de Europa attracts a great many visitors, Headquarters maintained thanks to man’s ongoing efforts and his as shown by the more than 1.7 million visits The wide variety of animal species found in the Sotama Visitor Centre C/ Arquitecto Reguera, 13 livestock activities. received on an annual basis. Its more than 400 Picos de Europa, in keeping with the diversity Avda. Luis Cuevas s/n kilometres of signposted trails offer numerous 33004 - Oviedo of ecosystems, is of particular interest. Among 39584 Tama Cillorigo de Liébana - Cantabria options for all types of hikers. Some of the most Tel: 985 24 14 12 - 985 273 945 the species present are: the brown bear, the wood Tel.: 942730555 - 942738109 sought-after peaks by mountain climbers are [email protected] grouse, the chamois, and the wolf. The brown [email protected] found in the high mountains. bear is the largest predator inhabiting these [email protected] mountains,