Cabañeros National Park

The National Park Cabañeros (in Spanish Parque Nacional de Cabañeros ) is a national park and protected area under the EU Birds Directive, in the Castilla -La Mancha. It covers an area of ​​41,804 hectares, he is known primarily for its wildlife and birdlife. Access is, apart from some shared footpaths, possible in the context of guided walks or tours in four wheel drive vehicle.

Location

The National Park is located in the northeast of the province of Ciudad Real and Toledo in the south east of the province. Its territory is one of the Montes de Toledo and extends between the Sierra de Rocigalgo and the Sierra del Chorito in the north and the Sierra de Miraflores in the south. The highest point of 1448 meters of the National Park and the Montes de Toledo is located in Rocigalgo Massif. The rivers Bullaque and Estena, two tributaries of the Guadiana, mark the park boundaries to the east and west. In the south of the park is also a part of the Raña de Santiago belongs to the park. As " Raña " are referred to in the region levels with isolated trees, which are generally used as pasture ( Dehesa ).

The nearest villages in the province are Ciuadad Real Navas de Estena, Horcajo de los Montes, Alcoba de los Montes and Retuerta del Bullaque, in the province of Toledo are Los Navalucillos and Hontanar the next.

Natural areas

Mountains

The mountains in the National Park are composed of quartzites and shales silicate. Her foot is at an altitude of about 650 m, reaching a maximum of 1448 m. As vegetation type dominates a sclerophyllous vegetation, which is referred to in Spanish as "monte mediterráneo ". It covers as forest or dense bushland about four-fifths of the park area.

Raña

The surface of the Raña de Santiago is made of rubble that was removed from the surrounding mountains. It lies at an altitude 600-750 m. Until the 1960s, the Raña of forest and shrubbery was covered, then it was cleared for cultivation. The grassy plain with scattered trees remembered today at a Savannah and is often referred to as a Spanish Serengeti. In the Raña can be observed herd of red deer, vultures and storks here nesting in the trees.

Fauna

Among the animals in the National Park Cabañeros some are threatened with extinction, such as the Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti ), the black vulture ( Aegipius monachus), its existence in the park in 2004 reached the number of 186 pairs, or critically endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus ). The Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus ) was eradicated in today's parking area until the 1970s.

The Iberiensteinbock (Capra pyrenaica ) disappeared from the region in the 19th century, but was later exposed as game again. Also, fallow deer and mouflon were settled for hunting. Red deer, roe deer and wild boar are common. Among the smaller mammalian predators in the park mongoose, wild cat, badger and otter find.

The avifauna of the National Park is very rich: besides Uhu also black vulture, eagle, golden eagle, booted eagle, peregrine falcon and other raptors occur. From the rare black stork only a single breeding pair is present. There are numerous songbirds, including Spectacled Warbler, Subalpine Warbler and Sardinian Warbler.

On the Raña Thekla Lark Bunting and are found in large numbers. Here also pastures Sparrow, Black-eared Wheatear, Red-legged Partridge, Little Bustard, Great Bustard, White Stork, Montagu's Harrier, Bee-eater, European Roller, Hoopoe, Blue Magpie and Southern Grey Shrike can be observed. Winter visitors in the National Park are winged Kite, Merlin, Hen Harrier, Red Kite and Calandra.

Among the amphibians in the park Spanish newt (Triturus boscai ), Southern marbled newt find (Triturus pygmaeus ), midwife toad and Disc- Painted. In reptiles, the occurrence of the Iberian Emerald Lizard ( Lacerta schreiberi ) and the Iberian Walzenskinks ( Chalcides bedriagai ) are worth mentioning.

The Spanish minnow ( Anaecypris hispanica ) and the barbel Barbus species microcephalus are fish which occur only in the Rio Guadiana River and its tributaries. The Spanish minnow is threatened with extinction.

Representing the number of insects in the park in point are the species of butterfly Tailed Pasha, Small Heath, Cardinal and Small Copper.

Flora

On the Ranas, at the foot of the mountains are holm oak forests, which have often been planted by man. Where these have been over-exploited in the past or damaged by forest fires, caused secondary companies with arbutus, cistus, Erica species and herbaceous plants.

In moist areas and on shady slopes are holdings of the Portuguese oak with an understory of flowering shrubs. In the warmest locations thrive cork together with Portuguese oaks, strawberry trees, Montpellier maple and a snowball - type ( Viburnum tinus ). In the river valleys the forests of the Pyrenean oak are formed, there also thrive holm oak, Portuguese oak, wild service trees and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna. In these forests, the Peony Paeonia kind broteri occurs. The riverine forests are three types: ash forests together with willows, blackberries and numerous climbing plants, alder woods with vines and finally birch woods with holly and alder (Betula pendula fontqueri ssp. ).

Here and there in the park wetlands as here " trampales " said small bogs where bell - heather, various orchids, Sundew and the Pinguicula lusitanica Butterwort thrive.

History

The history of the National Park Cabañeros is connected with the history of the Montes de Toledo region. Between the 13th and 19th centuries included the lands of today's park of the city of Toledo. The conditions imposed by the city regarding the use meant that until the 18th century, remained a largely unspoilt natural landscape. The people in the region have traditionally lived by grazing, charcoal and beekeeping.

In the 19th century Cabañeros spent 25 years ( 1860-1885 ). In the hands of the creditors of the city of Toledo, who set up a kind of usufruct management By using grazing and logging the city's debt should be repaid. As part of the disentailment of Madoz reached in 1885 by selling and auctioning enormous tracts of land to a few large landowners. They built large cabins and used their possession almost exclusively for hunting. The residents of the region of the entry was forbidden.

In the secluded and almost deserted region, the Ministry of Defence in 1982 wanted to set up a shooting range for the Spanish armed forces. The plans came in the Spanish public but determined resistance. Finally, the government of Castile -La Mancha in 1988 declared the area a nature park. In November 1995, the current Parque Nacional de Cabañeros was established. At that time, the legal situation of the Spanish National Parks was unclear, since the long assumed exclusive jurisdiction of the central government declared the decision of the Constitutional Court of 26 June 1995 as unconstitutional, but the Nature Protection Act was amended in 1997. The law establishing the National Park Cabañeros took many provisions of the Ley 41/1997 anticipated, so the park was by the state and region (Castile -La Mancha ) managed from the outset together.

Because of this history of the National Park Cabañeros applies today as a symbol project for the Spanish nature reserve. To date, only about half of the area of the national park owned by the state, the rest is about 20 landowners. Partial is still hunted on private land, also the slopes be driven in the National Park or erected fences.

Visit

The National Park can be reached via the road CM -403, which connects Toledo and Ciudad Real.

The park office is located in Pueblo Nuevo del Bullaque, where you can also sign up for guided hikes. Bookings for excursions in all-terrain vehicle through the Raña de Santiago takes a Reservation Office in Horcajo de los Montes contrary. The visitor center Casa Palillos is located on the southeastern edge of the national park.

Access to the park is limited. Some trails are easily accessible, but also here the accompaniment is recommended by a guide. Reservations should be made ​​a few days before the visit. The best time for wildlife viewing are the morning and evening hours, a good pair of binoculars is to beneficial. Dogs are not allowed in the park.