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The Genal Valley, in the area of Gaucin in Southern Spain, is a paradise for those who love nature at its best. The river Genal is reportedly listed as being the cleanest river in Europe, and although there are not the vast panoramic views enjoyed by Gaucin, here in the valley the views are lovely and intimate.
This area is considered to be one of the best preserved in Europe, and the Mediterranean area, in that it contains verdant forests of Spanish Fir (abies pinsapo) chestnut woods and protected animals such as the otter (lutra).
Many varieties of oak, cork, chestnuts, almonds, St. John´s bread (algarrobo), poplars, elms, willows and pines grow in abundance here. Thriving fruit trees include the pomegranate, quince, and fig. Herbs of astounding variety and an exuberance of wildflowers make Gaucín a favored destination for botanists and other plant lovers.
Foxes, wild cats, mongoose, martens, badgers, weasels, moles, porcupines, bats, and wild boar are typical mammals that inhabit the countryside. Gaucín is also a major resting point for migratory birds. Where as the all year avian dwellers include many varieties of raptors, nightingales, partridge, quail, martins, doves and carpenter birds.
Los Alcornocales National Park (The Cork Oak National Park)
The park borders the township of Gaucín, and is the largest, oldest and grandest forest in Europe. With over one million cork oak trees (alcornoques) and over 250,000 gall oaks, that cover 168,661 hectares, it is a remnant of the great forest that covered the whole of Spain, before the deforestation in the 16th century, that provided wood for Spanish ships. Interestingly, every tree produces more than nine kilos of oxygen per day, and absorbs six kilos of carbon dioxide.
The bushes that have colonized the hills are the result of the original forest's degradation. Despite this, bushes grow in areas with strong winds or in very unfertile grounds, where the cork oaks could not survive. The bushes consist mainly of typical Mediterranean species, such as like rockroses, heathers and howthornes.
Los Alcornocales supports many birds of prey, about 18 different species. The best adapted to this kind of forest are the buzzards, the snake eagles, the tawny owls and the sparrowhawks. At the rocky sides and gorges of the mountains can be seen other birds like the Egyptian vulture, partridge eagles, eagle owls, hawks and kestrels.
The valley floor has been dug away by the river's action, and consists of many vegetative species like laurel, rhododendron, litle hazels and alder. Also found are holly trees and some brackens, which don't usualy exist within Spanish forests. The fauna living at the river's edge consists of acuatic blackbirds, kingfishers and other fishing birds. |
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