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Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park | |
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| IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
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| Location | Pyrenees of Huesca, Spain |
| Nearest city | Jaca |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 156.08 km² |
| Established | 1918 |
| Governing body | Spanish Ministry of Environment. |
Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park (see also Parque nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido), is an IUCN Category II National Park situated in the Pyrenees of Huesca, Aragón (Spain). It was created August 16 of 1918 by a Royal Decree which declared Ordesa Valley a National Park of 21 square kilometres of extension. In July 13 of 1982 it was enlarged to the 156.08 km² it has today and its official name changed to Parque nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido.
The national park is included in the Biosphere Reserve of Ordesa-Viñamala, declared by UNESCO in 1997. In the same year it was included in the cross-border Pyrénées - Mont Perdu World Heritage Site.[1]
The park's territory includes the municipalities of Torla, Broto, Fanlo, Tella-Sin, Puertólas and Bielsa.
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[edit] Description
The National park constitutes a geographic unit. Its orography is dominated by the calcareous mass (the biggest of Europe) of the massiff of the Three Sorores, Treserols, whose greater elevation is the Monte Perdido, from which in a more or less radial form descend a series of impressive mountainous crests and glacial valleys. The most characteristic and symbolic one is the Ordesa Valley, drained by the river Arazas, origin of the National Park, that is opened in Southwestern direction, but also is important the Tube of Añisclo, that is drained by the river Bellós, in southern direction, the Gorges of Escuaín, drained by the river Yaga, in southeastern direction and the Valley of Pineta, drained by the river Cinca. Although not all of it belongs to the National Park because it's already in French territory and belogs to the Pyrenees National Park, the Valley and Circus of Gavarnie is another impressive glacial cirque that has the highest waterfall of Europe, with more than 400 meters of vertical fall.
The basic morphology of the Park is originated by the fold and alpine elevation of the Tertiary Era, subsequently molded by the glacial erosion during the Quaternary Era, giving rise to a series of circuses and valleys like the Valley of Ordesa and the Valley of Pineta. Nowadays a glacier continues existing in the North face of the Monte Perdido, although continues in retreatment. Most of the rock of the National Park is limestone. Superimposed to the most evident and old glacial erosion is the karstic transformation of the landscape, with multiple caves, canyons, chasms, etc.. most important of them are the Tube of Añisclo and the Gorges of Escuaín, in which appear glacial circuses that subsequently are boxed in deep gorges.
Highest areas of the park (above 2,000 m AMSL) are extremely arid. All precipitation is quickly gone inside the karstic system, while the bottoms of the valleys are dominated by a lush vegetation of beeches and firs that give place to the black pine when the height increases.
Many illustrious persons have been fond of these places and have given word of their virtues. People like Luciano Briet, Soler i Santaló or Lucas Mallada contributed to promote the place and grant it the protected status.
[edit] Flora
Up to 1,500-1,700 meters AMSL many forests of beeches (Fagus sylvatica), Abies alba, pines (Pinus sylvestris), oaks (Quercus subpyrenaica), and a lesser extent of birches (Betula pendula), ashes (Fraxinus excelsior), willows (Salix angustifolia). From there up to 2,000 m the mountain pine (Pinus uncinata) dominates. Up to 1,800 m bushes of boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) are found. In the high meadows from 1,700 to 3,000 meters there are numerous endemisms like Borderea pyrenaica, Campanula cochleariifolia, Ramonda myconi, Silene borderei, Androsace cylindrica, Pinguicula longifolia, Petrocoptis crassifolia, etc. The Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum), is one of the symbols of the National Park.
More information about National Park flora available the oficial Web of the flora and vegetation of Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park
[edit] Fauna
The most important species of the Park was the bucardo or Pyrenean Ibex , sadly extinguished in 2000 in spite of the preservation efforts. Another species of goat is the Pyrenean Chamois. There are other species like the marmot, boar and the Pyrenean Desman or water-mole (Galemys pyrenaicus). Great birds like the royal eagle, the common vulture, hawks, and the royal owls.
[edit] Image gallery
 Cirque de Soaso, with Cilindro de Marboré, Monte Perdido and Soum de Ramond (left to right) |
 North face of La Brèche de Roland |
 Cirque of Soaso and Horse Tail |
 Path inside the Park |
 Entrance to the Park at Torla |
 Cirque of Cotatuero |
 Cirque of Soaso |
 Horse Tail waterfall |
[edit] References
- ^ "Pyrenees-Mont Perdu". United Nations Environment Program - World Conservation Monitoring Centre. January 2000. http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/mtperdu.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-12.
[edit] External links
- Official web, from the Spanish Ministry of Environment
- Google Maps image
- Information on the glaciers of the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
- Books on Flora and Fauna in the Pyrenees
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