The fundamental mission of the Natural Parks is the one to facilitate the contact of the man with the nature, as well as the use of the natural resources of a rational and compatible form with its suitable conservation.
Geographic situation
The Mountain range of Moncayo has been located in the central sector of the Iberian Mountain range, to horse between the hydrographic river basins of the Duero and the Ebro. The summit of Moncayo (2,315 ms.) it is the Maxima level of this mountainous system of the interior of the Iberian Peninsula.
Its geographic situation, to the south of the depression of the Ebro, and their elevation with respect to the surrounding area turns it a mountain that receives an important hydric contribution generated by the Atlantic frontal systems.
This phenomenon is reflected in an evident altitudinal separation of bioclimáticos floors, with a fort it resists between the North slope and the slope of solarium.
To this fact the variation of geologic substrates is united, with a silícea zone, quartzites and conglomerates of arenaceous, and another limestone with important kársticas manifestations.
The formation vegetal present of natural form in the Mountain range responds to these climatic and geologic characteristics, appearing coscojares, sabinas, encinares, rebollares, robledales, quejigares, forest of beech and diverse subalpine scrubs and pastizales cacuminales. In zones with humidity characteristics are birches, ashs, poplars temblones, etc.
The human intervention on the vegetation (carboneo, pasturing, etc.) it has given rise to the appearance of extensive scrubs, emphasizing acebares of the shade of the Pedrisca. During century XX the Forest Services of 6ª hidrologic-forest Division and, later, the Forest Patrimony of the State have made extensive repoblaciones with coniferous on eroded lands more.
Thus, the mosaic of natural vegetation has become rich with the existence of forests of wild pine, pine to pinaster, laricio pine and black pine.
The evolution of these artificial forests is favoring the installation of the natural masses of beech, rivets, the Rebollos and oak, who regenerate under the cover of the pine groves, returning to occupy the terrains of which it eliminated the human use.
Process of declaration
The Natural Park of Moncayo was declared by means of Decree 73/1998 of the General Delegation of Aragon, that approved the Plan Ordenacion of Recursos Naturales (P.O.R.N.) of the Region of Moncayo. With this figure they have legally been left protegees under the figure of Park 9,848 ha of the Mountain range.
Never the less, this figure of protection is not a new element, since from long time back the Administration has considered of special relevance the necessity to protect Moncayo. In 1927, the mount "Meadow of Moncayo", 1,500 ha, declared by Real Order "Natural Site of National Interest".
This figure of protection reclasificó in 1978 like Natural Park of the Meadow of Moncayo.
The process of elaboration of the P.O.R.N. began in 1990, with the hiring of necessary the technical study on a surface of 24,000 ha, that affected 12 municipal terms of the Mountain range.
In this study the important ecological value of ample located zones of the Mountain range outside the Natural Park of the Meadow of Moncayo was demonstrated and that deserved, at least, the same figure of protection.
In 1994, the General Delegation of Aragon initiated the administrative procedure of approval of the P.O.R.N. At any moment the consensus with the proprietors of the lands looked for (mainly the local Administration) so that the declaration of a possible figure of protection legally did not harm the constituted advantages and that did not suppose an important injury to the present natural value. Thus, after a long process of meetings and modifications to polish the text of the PORN and the surface to include in the Park, it was arrived finally in 1998 at the approval of the P.O.R.N. by means of the Decree already mentioned, in whose text the declaration of the new Natural Park was included.
It includes the North slope of the bulk of Moncayo and the Natural Park of the Meadow of Moncayo.
It is the Maxima height of the Iberian mountain range (2,373 m.s), and presents/displays stepped a very diverse bioclimatic gradation.
From rest of glaciers in the summit to leafy forests of it beech, holm oak, it rivets, pine and juniper. Account also with abundant springs.
The frondosidad of their vegetation, that contrasts with the plains semi-arid of the Depression of the Ebro, the abundance of springs and water obstacles and their discharges and snow-covered summits confer a landscaping beauty to him that does creditor to him of a special regime of protection.
Thus it was understood, already in 1927, declaring it Natural Site of National Interest, going to denominate itself, as of 1978, Natural Park of the Meadow of Moncayo.
Geographic Situation
One is located to the Northwest of the Aragonese region, within the province of Zaragoza, and serves as natural border between the Independent Communities of Aragon and Castile-Leon.
The Moncayo seen from Veruela monastery
Accesses
It is possible to be acceded by connected C.N. 122 from C.N. 232 from Zaragoza.
Also it is possible to be acceded by C.N. 121 from Tudela.
Geomorfology
The formation of the bulk of Moncayo took place in the Tertiary Era as a result of the alpine movements. More characteristic the rocky materials are arenaceous, quartzites and slates, leaned to which are more modern materials of calcáreo type.
In their slopes rest of tracks can be appraised glaciers, emphasizing the circuses known like Well of San Miguel, San Gaudioso and Morca.
Climate
One is within a mediterraneo climate region with clear continental shades; zone of transition between the climate of the Depression of the Ebro and the Mesaeta Soriana.
Their peculiarities are: smooth and short summers with some precipitation of stormy character and to invier to us long and cold. The greater intensity of precipitations occurs in autumn and spring. As is promoted in height prevail consisting of climatic matizaciones increase of precipitations and reduction of the temperatures.
Vegetation and Fauna
Moncayo constitutes an original element within the vegetation of the Aragonese Iberian Mountain range, inasmuch as it is the only bulk of which she presents/displays a clear vegetal stage of the formation.
The diversity of forests, along with the prohibition of the hunting, causes that the number of species animals is varied and abundant.
Encinar and holm-oak forest: One is in the surroundings of Moncayo and ascends until the 900 m.s of altitude. One is a clear forest with a scrub formed by thymes and aliagas, which serves as shelter the rabbit, perdiz, tórtolas, tejón, ocelado lizard...
Rebollar: Formed by densely grouped trees of small bearing, one is located between 900 and 1,100 m.s of height. Its scrub is formed by rockroses, being its inhabitants the jay, to mir it, fox, wild boar, etc.
Pine: It ascends from the 900 m.s to near the 1,800 m.s is a forest of repoblación, dense with unit of great size.
The different species from pine that can be observed are: the wild pine, most abundant, black pine, laricio pine and rodeno pine.
On its feet usually they grow brezos, holly and frambuesos. Piquituerto, tip picapinos, petirrojo and tejón, are, among others, their main inhabitants.
Moncayo vegetation
Forest of beech: With the increase of the humidity, together with the reduction of the temperatures, between the 1,100 and 1,650 m.s of altitude, it appears the Forest of beech. It is a residual forest in fight with the stony grounds, that yields the starved areas to the oak to albar and the encharcadas ones to the willows, birches and ashs.
One is one of the forests of are more meridionals of Europe, which increases the importance of its conservation.
In him the ferns abound, mosses and madreselvas. Of the seeds of it has, hayucos, feed the wild boar and corzo, among others. Between the birds it is possible to emphasize the azor, real eagle and others rapaces.
Summit and meadows: From the 1,650 m.s the hayedo is clarified and disappeared to open the way to a formation of scrub with genistas, crawling sabinas and junipers.
The repoblación pines exceed the ceiling of the hayedal and they are introduced in the inferior part of the scrub until reaching the 1,800 m.s of height, from which they are clarified and they dispersed to be disappearing.
The fauna that inhabits east space is compound, among other species, by larks, chovas, piquigualdas and hocicudas vivoras and aspid.
Other information on the Natural Park
Natural park of the Meadow of Moncayo like dead ground.
Recommendations to visit the natural spaces.
Also Aragon enjoys a diverse and varied Nature where passing by plants, animals, Geology, or landscapes we can arrive at a fantastic bestiary that lives in its monuments.
The information will not be complete without a stroll by its three provinces, with shutdown in some of its spectacular landscapes like Ordesa, the Moncayo, Monegros or by opposition the Ebro.
Also you can dedicarte to the intangible ones: from the legend compilation that also does to universal Aragon.