Located in The westernmost area of Betic Massifshalfway between the provinces of Cádiz and Malaga, the Sierras de Grazalema have been carved at the craving of the rains giving rise to one of the most steep of the Andalusian geography.
Your situation between different sectors biogeographic and the effect of collection of ocean humidity that generates the mountain elevation, define the essence of this reserve, which together with Ordesa – Viñamala was the first to be declared as such, in Spain.
The Composition of the Natural Park of the Sierra de Grazalema is basically limestone rocksso it generates the typical karst phenomena. His numerous caves, gorges and dolinas are remarkable. It has a very characteristic fauna and flora and some endemics.
Happy birthday to the Natural Park of the Sierra de Grazalema
On February 12, 1985, the BOJA published Decree 316/1984, approved on December 18 of the previous year, which declared the Natural Park of the Sierra de Grazalema. It was the first natural park of Andalusia, a region that only had two protected natural spaces, the Torcal de Antequera, declared in 1929 as a natural site of national interest, and the Doñana National Park, declared in 1969.
This commitment to natural parks would be the hallmark of the natural space policy of the Junta de Andalucía; instead of declare few protected spaces with national park level, As had been done until then, it opted for the declaration of large natural parks, which included, in addition to the natural areas of mountains, forests, pastures, marshes, cliffs, virgin beaches …, to the towns of the area. A challenge in which the Grazalema Sierra will serve as a pioneering experience. Currently 24 natural parks extend throughout Andalusia.
After the Sierra de Grazalema, the natural parks of Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas, Cabo de Gata-Níjar and the Cordoba Subbetics were declared, until in June 1989 the Andalusian Parliament approved Law 2/1989 of «Inventory of Natural Spaces Protected from Andalusia », which declared themselves no less than 80 natural spaces; A milestone nationwide in Nature conservation policies. This law extended the surface of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park until 53,411 hectares.
In the session of the Governing Board of the Natural Park held last October the environmental representatives proposed that a commission be constituted to organize the commemoration of the Fortieth Anniversary of the Natural Parkto have the maximum institutional and social participation. The Organizing Commission has not been constituted, and the Minister of Sustainability and Environment, Catalina García, has recently announced that the Board is already organizing commemorative acts, which seems to us a sectarian and antidemocratic attitude.
It is still Paradoxical that a political party that has always opposed the declaration of natural spaces, and voted against the Inventory of Protected Natural Spacesnow intends to monopolize the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of this natural park, without the institutional and social actors that launched this park and have contributed to its success.
CRESTERIAS DE LA SIERRA DEL PINAR
The Natural Park has contributed to the conservation of its rich biodiversitywith a substantial increase in the surface of the pinsapares, and to the socioeconomic development of the municipalities of the area, enhancing the value of their agricultural products and promoting rural tourism that has benefited a good part of the population. The foundation and forceful action of environmentalists in action Against urban speculation -foment by promoters, municipalities and by the Junta de Andalucía itself-, has managed to preserve the traditional typology of White Peoples, one of the main attractions of this natural park.
The environmental organization asks those responsible for the Sustainability Ministry that they have a view to height, to have the widest participation of the administrations and social entities of the Natural Park to celebrate what should be an example of concord and participation in an event that It should serve to enhance the natural park and not to create unnecessary conflicts.