Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park
The Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is located in the Catalan Pyrenees . It was established in 1955 and is the only national park in the autonomous region of Catalonia .
The name Aigüestortes goes back to the meander of the Riu de Sant Nicolau (Spanish: Río de San Nicolás ) and means something like "winding waters". Estany de Sant Maurici is the Catalan name of a lake in the park, which is called Lago de San Mauricio in Spanish .
The national park is located in the central area of the Pyrenees in the province of Lleida on parts of the area of the comarcas (districts) Alta Ribagorça , Pallars Sobirà , Pallars Jussà and Val d'Aran . It includes the municipal areas of Espot and Barruera . Two regions with different climates can be distinguished. In the west (Aigüestortes) there is an atlantic high mountain climate, the precipitation flows into the tributaries of the Noguera Ribagorzana . In the east the climate is more continental, tributaries of the Noguera Pallaresa flow to the lake Estany de Sant Maurici .
Most of the national park is over 1000 m, some peaks are higher than 3000 m. There are numerous cirque lakes that were formed during the ice ages . Two valleys are particularly striking: in the west the valley of Sant Nicolau with its meadows and meanders, in the east the valley of the Riu Escrita with the lake Estany de Sant Maurici .
Because of the great differences in altitude in the national park, there are many different ecosystems: meadows, fields, deciduous deciduous forests in the lower areas, evergreen coniferous forests in the middle areas, alpine meadows and rocks in the highest areas. Since the national park is difficult to access and has been protected for many years, its flora and fauna have remained in a relatively original state. Nevertheless, people have left their mark here too. The protected area is now used for tourism and grazing. Its lakes serve as reservoirs for hydropower plants.
Extension and structure of the park
The national park covers an area of 40,852 hectares, with an inner and an outer protection zone being distinguished. The inner zone, the actual national park, is 14,119 hectares. The 26,733 hectares of the outer zone are intended to protect them from human influence.
The inner zone essentially belongs to the municipalities of Vall de Boí and Espot. On the Boí side, there is a distinction between the Sant Nicolau valley and the upper reaches of the Noguera de Tor river . The Sant Nicolau flows in characteristic meanders between the lakes Llong and Llebreta . They were formed when former glacial lakes filled with sediment.
The Riu Escrita and the lake Estany de Sant Maurici are located near Espot . Like other lakes in the park, this lake is used as a reservoir for a pumped storage power plant. The lake lies at the foot of the imposing mountain range Els Encantats (Spanish: Los Encantados ). The view of the Estany de Sant Maurici with the Encantats in the background is one of the park's “trademarks”.
In the outer zone are the municipalities of Vielha and Vilamòs in the Comarca Val d'Aran , Vilaller and Vall de Boí in Alta Ribagorça , Torre de Cabdella in Pallars Jussà as well as Espot , Alt Àneu , Esterri d'Àneu , La Guingueta d'Àneu and Sort in the Comarca Pallars Sobirà . In this peripheral zone there are areas of great natural beauty and of great value for nature conservation. These include the Mata de València d'Àneu forest , the Gerber and Cabanes valleys, the Colomers, Tord and Saboredo glaciers, the banks of the Valarties, the Cabdella and Gèmena lakes, the Montardo summit and many others.
history
Settlement of the high altitude Pyrenees began with the end of the last Ice Age. No settlement could last in the area of today's national park. However, the pressure to use it reached its peak in the 19th and early 20th centuries when deforestation increased and the use of hydropower began.
As early as 1932, the establishment of a national park in the high elevations of the Pyrenees was considered in Pla Macià (an urban planning draft for the greater Barcelona area). However, it was only designated as Parque Nacional Aiguas Tortas y Lago de San Mauricio on October 21, 1955 by a decree of the Ministry of Agriculture on an area of initially 9,851 hectares . At that time it was the fifth national park in Spain and after the Ordesa y Monte Perdido national park the second in the Pyrenees.
With the adoption of the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia in 1979, the Generalitat de Catalunya became responsible for the establishment and administration of nature reserves. On March 30, 1988, she proposed an expansion of the national park, which should also regulate the traditional uses. Law 22/90 of December 28, 1988 redefined the boundaries of the outer zone, the composition of its board of directors and the permitted uses. On July 5, 1996, the park was expanded to its current area of 14,119 hectares.
geography
Rivers
On the side of the Noguera de Tor :
- Riu de Sant Nicolau
- Riu de Sant Martí (Spanish: Río de San Martín)
On the Garona side :
- Valarties
- Aiguamoix
- Garona de Ruda
In the basin of the Noguera Pallaresa :
- Riu Cabanes
- Riu Escrita
- Flamisell
Lakes
There are around 80 lakes in the national park. The most important are: Llebreta, Serrader, Contraig, Llong, Mussoles, Ribera, Major, Dellur, Redó, Negre de Portarró, Ratera, Barbs, Munyidera, Gran d'Amitges, Sant Maurici, Negre de Peguera.
In the northern part of the outer zone are the lakes Rius, Tort de Rius, de Mar, Restanca, Monges, Travessany, Mangades, Major de Colomers, Obago, Major de Saboredo, Saboredo de Dalt, Sant Gerber, Xemeneia, Negre or de Cabanes.
In the south are Pesso, Castieso, Marto, Eixerola, Cubesso, Neriolo, Tort, Saburó, Vidal, Colomina, Frescau, Reguera, Fosser, Ribanegra, Salat, Morera and Gento.
mountains
Highest mountains
- Pic de Comaloformo (Spanish Pico de Comaloformo), 3033 m
- Besiberri Nord (Spanish Besiberri Norte), 3015 m
- Besiberri Sud (Spanish Besiberri Sur), 3017 m
- Punta Alta, 3014 m
Most famous peaks
- Montardo, 2833 m
- Gran Tuc de Colomers, 2933 m
- Gran Encantat (Spanish Gran Encantado), 2747 m
- Tuc de Ratera, 2857 m
- Pic de Peguera (Spanish Pico de Peguera), 2942 m
- Pic de Subenuix (Spanish Pico de Subenuix), 2949 m
The most impressive peaks are Peguera (2982 m) and the Encantats (2745 m)
biology
The rugged mountains of the High Pyrenees allow the occurrence of very different ecosystems. This is due to the differences in height on the one hand and the orientation of the slopes on the other. There are small, shady ecosystems at all altitudes, such as the banks of fast-flowing streams or quiet lakes.
vegetation
Dense coniferous forests, which are mainly composed of silver firs , Scots pines and mountain pines , stand on large areas . In the montane zone one finds mainly deciduous forests: birch , oak , quivering poplar and red beech . There are also pine and fir forests there. The fir forests also contain rowan berries ( Sorbus aucuparia ) and the related dwarf whitebeam ( Sorbus chamaemespilus ) in their shrub layer .
On the subalpine level between 1700 and 2300 m altitude, the mountain pine forms light forests with a layer of shrubbery made of rhododendrons, blueberries, juniper , the real bearberry and gorse.
There are no more trees on the alpine lawn above 2300 m, but you can find numerous species from the alpine flora, such as gentian , saxifrage or buttercup species. The species in the numerous lakes and moors are also very important. Many of the plants at this altitude are endemic to the Pyrenees, others have a boreo-alpine or arctic-alpine range.
fauna
Around 200 animal species live in the national park, almost two thirds of which are birds. The occurrence of capercaillie , golden eagle , bearded vulture , rock ptarmigan , black woodpecker and wall creeper should be emphasized . You can also find passerine birds such as the jay , the wagtail , the snowfinch , the treecreeper and the red chalk .
Notable mammals include chamois , wild boar , ermine , pine marten , dormouse , squirrels, and the alpine marmot (which was settled by humans). Trout can be found in the two main rivers, the Sant Nicolau and the Escrita . The Pyrenees desman lives on its banks . Above 2000 m, in the lakes and streams of the high mountains, the rare Pyrenean mountain newt occurs. The common frog , on the other hand, is very common. You can also find reptiles such as the yellow-green angry snake .
Geology and climate
The interior of the national park provides a good example of the geology of the Pyrenees. The granite and slate that characterize the area come from ancient times . The geological character of the central Pyrenees is shaped on the one hand by the elevation during the Tertiary and on the other hand by the glaciation during the Quaternary . The U-shape of the trough valleys is an impressive example of the erosive power of the Ice Age glaciers. Today water is the most important factor that shapes the landscape. It gave rise to the meanders of the Riu Sant Nicolau , as well as the numerous lakes. The lakes in the national park form the most important lake area in the Pyrenees.
The mean temperature in the area of the national park fluctuates between 0 and 5 ° C. Winter in the high mountains is very cold, and at the highest elevations, temperatures are below freezing for four months. The annual rainfall is between 900 and 1300 mm and is spread over about 150 days of precipitation. On at least 100 of these 150 days, the precipitation falls in the form of snow.
use
The areas of the national park are owned by the state, municipal or private. The park's master plan regulates the use of its natural resources. In addition to tourism, traditional uses as they were before the establishment of the national park are permitted.
administration
The national park is managed according to an administrative plan approved by the Catalan Parliament. The governing bodies are the Patronato del Parque and the Comisión Permanente, which have their offices in Boí and Espot. The administration is the responsibility of the Departamento de Medio Ambiente y Hábitat, Dirección General del Medio Ambiente Natural, Servicio de Parques.
tourism
The Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is very important for tourism in the region, especially during the summer months. Visitors have to adhere to strict regulations to protect nature. You are free to walk around the park, but camping, collecting plants, hunting and fishing are not permitted. Access with private vehicles is not permitted, only taxis are allowed to bring visitors into the park from Espot or the Boí Valley.
During the summer, numerous hikers populate all the trails in the national park. The Pyrenees long-distance hiking trail GR 11 leads from the Atlantic coast to Cap de Creus right through the park.
You can stay overnight in mountain huts (in Catalan "refugi") within the boundaries of the national park, but these are only managed during the summer months.
Cattle farming
The high mountain lawns in today's park were used by shepherds as pastures for centuries. Protecting the local economy is not the only reason why traditional grazing was allowed in the national park. Centuries of grazing have permanently changed the natural balance and the species composition of the lawns.
Hydropower
Although there is not a single hydropower plant in the park itself, electricity is generated with its water reserves outside the protected zone. There are numerous underground channels in the national park for this purpose.
The power plants that use the park's water are:
- Sant Maurici hydropower plant (Spanish: San Mauricio ) in Espot , which is fed by the water dammed in the Estany de Sant Maurici .
- Sallente-Estany Gento hydropower plant in Torre de Cabdella , which is supplied by an extensive network of underground canals. They were built at the beginning of the 20th century and, in addition to a few smaller ones, also include the Cubieso , Mariolo , Tort , Saburó and de Mar lakes . The Sallente-Lago Gento power plant works reversibly, so it can pump water from the low-lying Lake Sallente to the high-lying Estany Gento when there is little electricity demand .
- Caldes hydropower plant in the Boí Valley, using the water dammed by the Cavallers dam and the Sant Nicolau river .
literature
- Empar Carillo Ortuño, Josep Maria Ninot Sugrañes: Flora i vegetació de les valls d'Espot i Boí. Vol. I: Flora. Vol II: Vegetació. Arxius Secció Ciències 99 (1) and 99 (2) . Institut d'Estudis Catalans, 1992, ISBN 84-7283-200-7 .
- Roger Büdeler: Pyrenees 3. Spanish Eastern Pyrenees: Val d′Aran to Núria (with Andorra) . 50 selected valley and high-altitude hikes in the Spanish Eastern Pyrenees. Bergverlag Rother , Munich 2004, ISBN 3-7633-4309-1 , p. 17-18, 22-23, 48-77 .
Web links
- Spanish Government, Ministry of the Environment: Parque Nacional de Aigüestortes i Estany De Sant Maurici
- Parcs de Catalunya: Aigüestortes and Sant Maurici Lake (English)
- World Database on Protected Areas - Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Elena Cuesta: Una muestra recoge la BCN que idearon los arquitectos en el Plan Macià de 1932 . El Mundo, May 19, 2006
Coordinates: 42 ° 34 ′ 38 ″ N , 0 ° 56 ′ 52 ″ E