The protected territory. Natural Protected Spaces in Aragon. Pyrenees, mountains, rivers. Aragon.

The protection of Aragonese natural spaces has traditionally been approached from several angles. One of them is the territory. With the planning of the territory, it is about assigning the space according to the use and priorities for this use.

• In order to reserve certain spaces of natural interest for the already present deterioration and future threats to these areas, between 1978 and 1979, between the ICONA and the then General Directorate of Urban Planning, an "Inventory of natural areas of special protection" was developed in Aragon.

  That inventory covered an area greater than ten percent of the Aragonese territory.

  Inventory of Special Protection Spaces
  PROVINCE	Total area en Ha	Inventory Area Ha	%
  Zaragoza	1.719.400	63.196	3,7
  Huesca	1.567.100	372.286	23,8
  Teruel	1.480.400	80.951	5,5
  ARAGON	4.766.900	516.433	10,8

  In the province of Huesca, the Pyrenees from Zuriza to Aneto were inventoried as a special natural protection area, highlighting its landscape and wildlife richness. Also deserved the same attention the mountain ranges of the Rock, Gratal and Guara, the lagoon of Sariñena and the rafts of Pestaña. Due to its singularity and beauty, the gullies of Guara, Olvena, Fet and Mongay and the enclave of Valcuerna in Fraga stood out.

  In the province of Teruel deserved to be protected, at least, the ravine of Albarracin water, with its forest of yew trees, the vegetation of the ports of Beceite and Peñarroya, the Estrechos and Bronchales, the mass of black pine of El Rodeno de Albarracin and the beauty of the Sierra de Javalambre.

  In the province of Zaragoza abundant natural spaces were inventoried. Thus, the varied vegetation of beech, oak, etc., of the Sierras de Leyre, Santo Domingo and El Moncayo. And the poorest, but prodigiously adapted, vegetable mass of the mountains of the Virgin, Vicort, and Algairen and the mountains of Zuera. And the Mediterranean forest near the "sea of Aragon" or reservoir of Mequinenza, in Caspe. And, finally, the birdlife of Gallocanta and the wonder of water, vegetation and geology that provides the charm of Piedra Monastery

• In 1984, thanks to the generalized process of transfers of powers from the State to the Autonomous Communities, they take over almost all of the responsibilities entrusted until then to ICONA, starting a particular administrative evolution in each autonomy.
• More ahead the Decree 85/1990, of 5 June, of the Diputación General de Aragon, of urgent measures of urban protection de Aragon, would establish a detailed catalog of areas to be protected in a preventive way to avoid future damage.
• Subsequently, the Agreement of April 28, 1992, of the Diputacion General de Aragon, approving the adjustment of initial delimitation of the areas of special urban protection contained in the annex to Decree 85/1990, of June 5, I delimit these spaces in a much more exhaustive and detailed way including for each of these spaces a scale map 1 / 50,000.
• Later, the Agreement of November 3, 1993, of the Diputacion General de Aragon, by which the delimitation is approved of several areas of special urban protection contained in the annex to Decree 85/1990, of June 5, on urgent measures of urban protection of Aragon , completed the delimitation on some areas that had been inaccurate.
• Finally, the AGREEMENT of December 16, 1993, of the Diputacion General de Aragon, which approves the delimitation of six areas of special urban protection contained in the annex to Decree 85/1990, of June 5, on urgent urban protection measures in Aragon., completed, for the time being, the delimitation of the last six zones that had remained imprecise.

This information complements that of the Protected Natural Spaces in Aragon.

Other Protected Natural Spaces in Aragon:

• Natural Reserve of the Galachos de la Alfranca de Pastriz, La Cartuja and El Burgo de Ebro.
• Natural Park of the Moncayo.
• Park of la Sierra y Cañones de Guara.
• Park of Posets-Maladeta.
• Protected landscape of the pine forests of Rodeno.
• Natural Monuments of the Pyrenean Glaciers.
• National Site of National Interest of San Juan de la Peña.
• National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido.
• Ordesa-Viñamala Biosphere Reserve.
• Wildlife Refuges.
  • Lomaza de Belchite.
  • Lagoon of Sariñena.
  • Lagoon de Gallocanta.



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.