Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park

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Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Ordesa Valley from Hunter's Path.
Location:	Pyrenees of Huesca, Spain
Nearest city:	Jaca
Coordinates:	42°40′18″N, 0°3′20″E
Area:	156.08 km²
Established:	1918
Governing body:	Spanish Ministry of Environment.

For other uses, see Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park (disambiguation).

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. It's included in the Biosphere Reserve of Ordesa-Viñamala declared by UNESCO in 1997.

Its territory includes the municipalities of Torla, Broto, Fanlo, Tella-Sin, Puertólas and Bielsa.

1 Description
2 Flora
3 Fauna
4 Image gallery
5 External links

[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 South 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.

Pyrénées - **Mont Perdu**^a
**UNESCO World Heritage Site**

State Party	France and Spain
Type	Mixed
Criteria	iii, iv, v, vii, viii
Identification	#773
Region^b	Europe and North America
Inscription History
Formal Inscription:	1997 21st Session
Extension/s	1999
a Name as officially inscribed on the WH List b As classified officially by UNESCO

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 fastly 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 black 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: como 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 abailable in:

Template:Ref-book

Also in 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 2,000 in spite of the preservation efforts. Other species of goats are the sarrio or rebeco of the Pyrenees. 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 and Massif of Monte Perdido	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