On March 21, the International Day of Forests is celebrated, a date that the United Nations proclaimed in 2012 to remember the importance of these ecosystems in the fight against climate change, the survival of human beings and the future of the planet.
From Indie Campers, one of the leading motorhome and campervan rental platforms in Spain and Europe, they remind us that forests are home to nearly 80% of terrestrial biodiversity worldwide and that more than 60,000 species of trees are found in them. . However, despite the fact that more than a billion people depend on their existence, deforestation continues at an accelerated rate. A problem, before which we must continue defending the forests and working to protect them.
With this objective and to commemorate the International Day of Forests, the company has collected five Spanish forests in which we can discover in more depth all the nature that these ecosystems hide:
Cazorla Forest (Andalusia)
This forest encompasses the Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Sierras in Jaén, so its extension exceeds 214,000 hectares, making it one of the largest in Spain. In fact, the Cazorla Forest is the largest protected area in our country and the second in Europe, since almost 2,200 species of flora and 361 endemic species can be found there. It is not surprising, therefore, that this forest full of pine trees over 10,000 years old, holm oaks, junipers, strawberry trees, oaks, deer, mountain goats, wild boars… was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1983. .
Muniellos Forest (Asturias)
Another of the largest forests in Spain is Muniellos, in which oaks predominate, extending approximately over 2,500 hectares of the 2,696 that the total occupies. By species, sessile oak is the main tree, although we can also find yew, holly, beech and birch. The Muniellos terrain is hilly and wooded and is between 680 and 1,500 meters above sea level. This forest, located in the extreme south-west of Asturias, is classified as an Integral Natural Reserve, within the Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias Natural Park, and was also declared a Biosphere Reserve by Unesco in the year 2000.
Las Villuercas Forest (Cáceres)
In this forest of approximately 1,500 square kilometers and located in Cáceres, the willows and ash trees stand out, although there are also holm oaks, cork oaks, chestnut groves, oak groves… and, of course, a varied fauna such as deer, wild boar and even the Iberian lynx. Las Villuercas Forest is located in a mid-mountain area, it houses different ecosystems and has been declared a special protection area for birds as it is a place of temporary residence and migratory stopover for many of them.
Fragas do Eume (Galicia)
This forest is one of the best preserved Atlantic riparian forests in Europe. It has 9,000 hectares of virgin forest with such lush vegetation that the sun barely penetrates through the trees. The Eume river, about 100 kilometers long, crosses all the forest that follows the course of the river and in which we can find steep slopes with oaks, poplars, ash trees, more than 20 species of ferns and 200 lichens. In addition, inside the forest we can visit the Caaveiro Monastery, with more than 10 centuries of history, and from which there is a unique view of the forest.
Fageda de la Grevolosa (Barcelona)
Although this forest, located in a valley of the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees, only covers a few hectares, it has a large number of hundred-year-old beech trees that reach 40 meters in height. The microclimate and the closed isolation of the valley, in the shape of a horseshoe, have allowed the beech trees to grow and develop fully, which is why this forest is currently part of the Plan for Areas of Natural Interest of Catalonia. In addition, in the center of the forest, next to the stream, is the Grevolosa beech, whose base perimeter measures more than 5 meters, is 42 meters high, has a crown of 18.5 meters in diameter and an estimated age of around 300 years, more than enough reasons for it to have been recognized as a monumental tree by the Generalitat.
Facebook Comments
Disqus