The
great value in the landscape of the Parque Natural
del Estrecho Natural Park of the Straits) lies not
only in its natural greatness, but not also for those
pieces of history that force to us to look back and
be astonished how man knew to predict something that
had to happen anyway. Why the delay? Luckily a "stop" has
occurred to the upheaval of this wonderful area. La
Junta Gestora (The Managing Committee) of the park
has been formed. Placer
de Trafalgar will keep you
up to date with of all the news produced about this
Parque Natural del Estrecho (Natural Park of the Straits).
It
is with a sigh of relief , now we know that the worst
thing cannot happen. And although it is certain the
area has suffered some important environmental impact,
until now, thanks to the arrival of tourism with
the formula of the second residence. We can be calm
because this place will not become overrun with leisureseekers
and big buildings, or even in ostentatious residences
with private access to the beach, at the least, the
arguments grow the to defend all of it.
Located
in the coast of the boundary between Algeciras and
Tarifa, in its 19,126 hectares we find the genuine
liquid of life, like a hidden gem the riches are spectacular.
Points like the Silla del Papa (Chair of the Pope)
(459 ms), San Bartolomé (444 ms) or la Laja
de las Algas with its 415 meters of height, decorate
the exquisite Northwest, well known like la Sierra
de la Plata in the Northeast-Southwest and with forks
in two branches: Cabo
de Gracia and of la Plata. The
coastal variety is separated by the Isle de Tarifa
and is characterised by sandy beaches and cliffs. In
terms of water, streams exist and small veins like
the El Jara, Vega or El Guadalmesí.
The fauna
on land is numerous, with more than seven hundred
thousand registered birds and with greater presence,
the white stork, the honey buzzard or the black kite,
etc. although also it is possible to sight imperial
eagles, Cinereous Vulture, black-shouldered kite,
Egyptian Vulture, Bonelli's Eagle and even Peregrine
Falcon, without forgetting that between the two mountain
ranges of the park exists a total of 50 pairs exists,
nidificantes, of Griffon Vultures.
If
we look at the geographic situation of the zone, due
to the migrations from the African continent and in
the direction of Europe, the choice of these surroundings
on the part of these birds, are forecast to continue
and so benefit the land and marine life of the park.
In
the duna de Bolonia are examples of tártago??,
and in both mountain ranges - because of the climatic
conditions, are drawn quercíneas and wild olives,
in addition to the reforestation of eucalyptuses. Wealth
everywhere with appearances of authentic natural whims
like Narcisssus and Genistas. Showing us to los acantilados
de los Cerros del Estrecho the surprises do not stop
because los hinojos marinos are before us, and in las
puntas Camarinal y Paloma are divided between pine,
juniper, cypress and camarina corema album.
The
wise earth never stops showing it´s most beautiful
parts - without wanting to amaze us- and it formed
the aquatic environment of the area with great details.: "The
tunas are fat and greasy, like pigs of the sea, thanks
to the acorns of certain oak that fall to the water
at high tide... until the point when so many tunas
are born how many more acorns fall into the water.
The congrios??? are developed enormously and exceed
our own bodyweight.
Starting
off concentrating on three marine provinces: Lusitánica,
Mauritánica y Mediterránea the biological
diversity is - in truth, very rich. They have more
than 1900 species of flora and marine fauna.
Many of them have been authentic discoveries including specialised native ones,
and science has catalogued a great number like "jewels of the nature".
An European Directive 92/94/CEE which includes, the Coral Rojo which is found
some forty meters of depth and supports, in addition to the corresponding atmosphere,
an extraordinary pressure for her economic value. But coexisting with it, the
sea floor has scenes of a multitude of miracles: sponges, jellyfish and even
the greatest limpet of the European coasts the Patella Ferruginea that, next
to the other 22 species, is mentioned in the directive (annexed V).
El
Sargo(Bream), Lobito, Tuna and many other species
of molusc crustaceans coexist in an underwater landscape
equipped with an incredible beauty.The Loggerhead
Turtle, the Bottlenose Dolphin, Harbour Porpoise,
etc. are included in the directive, mentioned previously,
and stepping on land - the otter and Capsican Turtle.
Also four species of marine turtles and so many other
crustracean are included in another community directive
92/43/CEE. .
The
enormous, spectacular sandy bottomed seas lie between
Tarifa and the cove of Bolonia, Valdevaqueros and the
playa de Los Lances. They even form "tiny forests" in
certain zones up to the depth of thirty meters. The
natural park offers something more to us: impressive
parts and floods of history like the Conjunto Arqueológico
de Baelo Claudia one old Roman factory town that surprises
by its extraordinary state of conservation next to
a privileged demarcation. Also the views of the North
coast of the African continent are - on good days,
absolutely clear, mainly from the zone nearest Tarifa.
And without stopping to add, the magnificent situation
of del Estrecho de Gibraltar and its characteristics
of winds and currents produce an underwater archaeology
without equal; for the different types from shipwrecks
that predominate.
The
declaration of Natural Park and its inclusion as a
protected zone - on the part of the autonomic authorities
- is a total success. It is good to know that our representatives
in authority are taking things seriously and who, in
this case, adopt the logical position to apply the
Estatuto de Autonomia that - in its article 12.2.5º -
defends " promotion of the quality of life of
the Andalusian town, by means of the protection of
the nature and the environment" |
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