All Menorca is a great natural park, especially by the occasional visitor, he sees a place so natural and quiet stone's throw from the populous and frantic European cities. That is why we hope that this lasts for new generations. But now we present the area is the bearer of Minorca by itself constitute a whole and indivisible as a representative few. The wildlife park is Albufera of Grau was, in Colom Island and head Favaritx is located on the est of the island, and includes the largest wetland of Minorca. Near the coast is the island of Colom in that part of the indivisible nature reserve. For its value and interest, this area is the core of the Biosphere Reserve Program MAB - Unesco which encompasses the entire island of Minorca.
It is a natural park with three well-defined areas, each consisting of a variety of ecosystems: wetlands, pasture and crop lands, wooded mountains, coastal communities, cliffs, dunes and beaches. Its natural values, and paisatgística etnològics, have made the area worthy of national park, and adding the other attributes, all Minorca, "Biosphere Reserve" fear Unesco. Objectives of the park:
* The preservation and improvement of their natural heritage, landscape and Ethnological.
* The public outreach and educational values of this important natural heritage.
* The alignment of legally permitted uses, in order to preserve the values of the park is of Albufera was Grau. It `S Albufera of Grau was a gap of 2 km. in length and covers an area of some 70 hectares. located at sea level and closed by a system of dunes that allow the tusk to the Mediterranean for a single channel and narrow as a river, "Throat". The Mirror splashed the water with small islands, excellent refuge for birds that are not disrupted, with a mica vegetation are green stains on a blue lake. The Prado is an area that is the expression of the life of the park, because as a heartbeat is flooded or show feel, depending on the season and the water level of the lake.
The Island in Colom Separated from the coast just 200 metres The islet has an area of 60 hectares, and its usefulness has changed with the times, was used as llatzaret, cultivated one hand and exploded a mine fortune with little lead. At present he is his own tour, especially swimmers and casual visitors who enter with recreational boats. The island itself is currently uninhabited.
We recall that the visit of the interior of the island in Colom is not permitted only possible to visit its beaches.
First demonstration plant on the beach. From the beach it inside, the first group of plants is a group of herbs, a little dense and low, unable to stop the effect of wind. Some plant forms a kind of "grass vile", as the marine Medicago.
We also note easily corridor thistle (Eryngium maritimum), a dairy (Euphorbia paralio), the lily beach (pancratium maritimum) or càrritx of beach (sand Ammophila arenaria), which gramínia crown and sets the first mounds of sand.
The western end of the beach vegetation has a different port respect to the substrate, rather than sand and Terran was more consistent, although it is sheltered from the prevailing wind, reb the influence of marine living room. Despite being a distinct atmosphere to the beach, the land is quite limited in width.
Respect for the plants, near water recognize the marine fennel (Crythmum maritimum), rushes thorny - some endemic - and some herbs such as espantallops (Limonium ssp.). More inside, the port of plants growing in height, volume and density. If the wind was not very present, reaches a thick growth of shrubs maquis low or medium height. We see among the plants most representative chamomile (Santolina chamaeciparissus susbp. Magon), which tends to grow in marginal areas posicionals thickness, and others like rosemary black (Cistus mospeliensis), the endemic aladern (Phillyrea average), CATS white (Calycotome spinosa), càrritx (Ampelodesma mauritanica), etc..
Confused with the maquis inshore, but most head inside and away from the effect of sea salt, we can identify a plant another community. It was the group of plants that form the Ullastres. It is especially the summits of the terrain elevations and has a tendency to develop more targeted head south slopes or not punished by the wind Tramuntana (north). Takes forms arbustives often difficult to pass, but when it has favorable conditions to grow, making the appeal of a forest that can reach seven meters. We must not forget that, along with Alzina, the plant community is more attuned to environmental conditions of Menorca, which is very abundant. The plants are most representative: Ullastres (Olea EuroPACE var. Sylvestris), aritja or abatzer (sarsaparilla), the dairy mule or shrub (Euphorbia dendroides), Esparreguera (Asparagus acutifolius) and other groups that are denominated in more plant forward.
The interior of the dunes Alejo del Mar, we note that the vegetation is setting increasingly sand. Respect for the beach, are numerous differences in composition and port on vegetation and the number of species. The pinewood-Savin is fundamentally fixador of the sand, forming dunes that grow to be withheld. The Sava (Juniperus phoenicea var. Lycian) and white pine (Pinus halepensis) are predominant. This mass plant has the important role of making natural barrier between the beach and the eastern end of Albufera and Sano Gorge. We see greater diversity of species by the remnants of other woody vegetation: oak (Quercus ilex) and the sharp (Ruscus aculeatus) are good witnesses to this. Along with other species of pine, Pinyon pine (Pinus pinea), we see that the bush is the predominant kills (mastic), and mainly among Sabine, two vines very common: grass muernera (Clematis flammula) and the blonde (Rubia pilgrim).
The plant vegetation Marjal This community occupies the lower limit of vegetation, and after the inland dunes in contact with sea level but not with him. The salicòrnias (Arthrocnemum fruticosum) spread evenly forming a curtain of low - medium height, fairly dense. It finds a lack of substrate Arenoso. Some species representing Salicornia, which is included penetrate a little within the pine forest, are olivardó (Inula crythmoides), rushes (Juncus acutus and J. maritimus), tamarell (Tamarix African), halimione (Halimione portulacoides), etc. .
System floodgates of Sano Gorge nearby houses of fishermen is a view extends towards the lagoon, and also there is a channel of communication with the sea, Sano Gorge, rodejada of terrestrial plant communities already visited.
This gap has a well-defined position within the water cycle: we could consider it as the albañal cycle, where there are going to stop all marine aportaments order to match the level of the ponds, Llacuna and inshore seas. This is because the rainfall in our latitude is markedly time, I feel these kind of torrential, short and intensive.
How will behave terrain with this kind of rain? Presto is saturated with water, and what remains difficult is that it can be received by a ground black poplar, will flow superficially by the torrents, pending abaixo accentuate if the type of substrate is little permeable (I belong to the country Silicic Minorcan). But also spend long periods, especially during summer, where rainfall marries a miracle and land in the basin are with their reservations hidriques case finished, then where is the sole reserve of water to the lagoon, now condemned to a dessecació the strong evaporation, is the sea, which on water, we could say that invests surplus to the lagoon in order to avoid a deseque during the summer. But the sea wins with this investment: when the rains come, water Sano Gorge, returned to sea loaded with nutrients that enriqueriràn biomass of coastal marine communities. This process provides reverse, hence, a profit.
The aquatic ecosystem, because there is in communication with a drainage basin, which provides nutritious ions to the lagoon, is a process tied to the continuing erosion of land caused by the drainage of rainwater and accelerated or intensified by man, which eliminates the vegetative cover of much of terrestrial ecosystems. These materials nutritious, exposed in the light, will support the growth of aquatic plant communities above the sediment of the lagoon: hence the large production presented. cave in the sea nutrients accumulate at the bottom, where it no longer reaches the sunlight from a certain depth, thus remaining sealed the possibility of an enormously productive ecosystem. The depth of the lagoon, 2 to 3 meters, would complete the lighting of the ecosystem, and we can say that there is no time to rest for using these materials essential to life. The lagoon becomes a highly productive ecosystem, with capacity to feed a large number of agencies. The plant community is different from the Earth, and can assume two states, dependent on the degree of exchange of water with the sea: when it is small or nonexistent, while Sano throated sand collapsed on his leg by passing through the beach community se basa en microscopic organisms that water-stained green by reducing its transparency. Although biomass is small, their reproductive potential is so high that can be bent in one day; seen from the perspective of consumers (animals), small biomass presents no problem, since they can consume whole without harm. When, on the other hand, the flow to the sea is quite big, this community is rapidly plactònica scorched by the flow, forming a community vegetable green filamentous algae cling to the fund, along with herbaceous plants submerged rooted in the sediment. Water is more transparent and generally we can say that benefits the lives of large animals, which are guided by the light in their catches food: herbivores seek tubèrculs and rels, carnivorous fish larvae of mosquitoes or ...
The Maresme from the bridge of Sano Gorge The humid shores, while the flow of water by Sano Gorge, may be differentiated according to their composition plant. Básicament, there is, from the bridge facing inland, a community different from Salicornia. This is a group of plants not so influenced by seawater, but also growing on flooded land, is properly a small Maresme, composed of reeds at its bottom and next, and immediately followed by a cane and uniform covered espadanya (Phragmites and Typha latifolia). See also, if we move down the road, other plants associated themselves in this environment, which housed pardales good woman: the case of one or two species of corretjola (Convolvulus ssp.), Abatzer (blackberry), a dairy different from the beach, the Ullastres and maquis (Euphorbia ssp.) etc..
Maqui shrub internal We are in contact between the front of a set by the Sabine and a variety of mixed shrub maquis, indefinite and more complex than that seen in the west coast of the beach. These and other features that make us not identify as a pure community, given its present state of growth. We like sand, scorched at the outset by the wind, and then colonitzada by vegetation, is riding on the substrate Silicic slate. The floral composition of the maquis adjacent to the front dunes are quite diverse. We find the two species of pine, Bruguera (Erica multiflora), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), aladern (Rhammus alaternus), the steppe (Cistus laurifolius), grass Dorycnium pentaphyllum, etc.. We note also appears that the oak, which plays a role here different from yours residual presence in the pine forest-Sabine, and their abundance in the maquis and a fledgling level of growth to lump the rest of the bushes, seems to augur a future role in the quest for greater stability and ecological maturity.
The fauna Predictably, the most important wildlife of the lagoon are waterfowl and this has been strengthened by being Minorca station, a stop at the largolargo journey of migratory birds, and, of course, the area wet from the lake is the most conducive for rest and replenishment of forces. The presence of other birds just more regular shape the landscape air, we mean the eagle peixatera (Osprey), the marine crow (common shag), Roque alone (mounds solitarius), wild pigeons (Columba livia), busquerets ( Sulvis ssp.), The peasant Burell (Anthus campestris), Sibila-li (Burhinus oedicnemus), cogullada Montesinos (Galerida theklae), Terrero (Calandrella brachydactyla), Tortora (Streptopelia), Porrón common (Pochard), duck piuló (Anas penelope), la Hoz (Fulica atra), the actual duck (Anas plathyrhynchos), xarxets (Anas growing) and Agro gars or red (Ardea purpurea). It is also often observe raptors such as Mila (red kite), the booted eagle (Hieratus pennatus), capbussaire (Tachibaptus ruficollis) or peregrí falcon (Falco peregrinus).
At about fish, the most common species are Albufera are eel (Anguilla anguilla), mullets (Liza aurata and L. Ramada), bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), xanguets (Atherina boyeri), galubs ( Liza saliens) and gambussa (Gambussia affinis holdbrooki). The mammals are the most representative rabbit (Oryctolagus cunniculus), Lira (Epimys norvegicus), eriçó (Atelerix algirus), the rat @ look <n> <sg> (garden dormouse) and Tuesday (Mustela Tuesday). In Regarding the reptiles and amphibians, highlighting the green frog (Blow Balearicus viridis), the European frogs (Emys orbicularis), the Italian lizard (Podarcis sicula), the snake of cogulla (Macroprotodon cucullatus), the ladder snake ( Elaphe scalaris) and St. Anton frog (Hyla meridionalis).
Human activity in the park Here we can speak of two well-defined activities, agriculture, and other people of the coast with cassettes weekend I / summer season.
At about farming, is more or less traditional forming part of the park's natural landscape case and does not represent a current uses a danger for the same. In settlements on the coast, the pressure was at its highest point reaching having to recover significant portion of territory, today the park through expropriation. Elslos traditional settlements are kept, but the increase of tourism also felt the coast and the beach is Grao, which today plays a major tourist despite not having nearby hotels. The beach formed by a sharp entrance of the sea, just forming a basin of very little depth and little renovation of water, are conducive for the first bathing season, given that its waters are warming faster. It is also noteworthy that the beach be a very shallow depth, is ideal for children and the elderly dispostos not to fight with the waves and those who prefer calm waters.
The afternoon was a spectacle in these calm waters, where boats replaced tame the fishermen, is also the voice as engronxen to the beat of a tiny wave, which Reflex recent raigs sun, color flooding the Mediterranean, the dunes, the lap of mountains ... Until the same sky is ringworm, and as a sort of curtain, theater scene, will be covered at night slowly, very slowly.
More about the Albufera Des Grau The Way of famous horses, formerly aimed at monitoring coastal Minorcan, also passes through the nature reserve and is ideal for strolling by were Albufera des Grau, passing near the flooded area, in the Isle of Colom The raft of Morella, the Tower of Tamarells and deposits Sano Torreta.
The farm Sano Torreta talaiótic we can find a complex, with lots of archaeological and historic importance. And not far from this, a defence tower in the farm Sano White Tower. THE end of the head of Rambla, opposite the island of Colom in, find a defensive tower near the sea at a height of about 25 meters above sea level. It was the Tower of Tamarells, also known as Tower Sano Tower or Tower Rambla. It is a building dating from s. XVIII, troncònica, with reinforcements stone "Marine" to the outside world and which owns three plants, while the main entrance at the plant.
It also highlights in the field Ethnological, dry stone walls, houses and Sano Bovaleta Sano Boval Old and wells and abeuradors by animals.