Monfragüe
| Monfragüe National Park | |
|---|---|
|
IUCN category II (national park)
|
|
A view of the Salto del Gitano
|
|
 |
|
| Location | Extremadura |
| Coordinates | 39°50′27″N 6°01′48″W / 39.84083°N 6.03000°WCoordinates: 39°50′27″N 6°01′48″W / 39.84083°N 6.03000°W |
| Area | 179 km2 (69 sq mi) |
| Established | 2007 |
| Visitors | 331,788 (in 2008) |
Monfragüe is a comarca (county, with no administrative role) of Extremadura, western Spain, which contains one of the country's fifteen National Parks (Spanish: Parque Nacional Monfragüe).
From 1979 the area was protected as a natural park a lower level of protection than national park. In 1991 it was declared as a special protection area for birds, until national park status was granted in 2007. Since 2003 it has been recognised by UNESCO as a Biosphere reserve.
The park is north of Trujillo and runs from east to west along the valley of the River Tagus or Tajo. It includes a long mountainous ridge, which the river has cut through, creating on the western side an impressive rock face, the Peña Falcon, 'falcon rock'. On the eastern side is the Castle of Monfragüe. The River Tietar enters the park from the north-east and joins the Tagus just to the east of Peña Falcon. The single village in the park is Villareal de San Carlos (population 28). It occupies an area of 18.118 hectares.
Habitats in the park include extensive dense scrub, small oak woodlands, and numerous cliffs and rock faces. The land is mainly used for traditional, low-intensive farming. However, there were two major changes in the years 1960-70: the river Tagus was dammed, affecting its course through the park; and parts of the park were affected by a project of planting eucalyptus. This non-indigenous species is being eradicated. Commercial forestry is prohibited in Spanish national parks.
In 1988 the European Union designated Monfrague a Special Protection Area (SPA) for bird-life. The SPA (or ZEPA, the equivalent acronym in Spanish) extends beyond the park, where the nesting sites are concentrated, into the surrounding dehesas, which provide food for the birds.
...
Wikipedia