Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park, Natural park in La Garrotxa, Catalonia, Spain.
Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park is a protected area in the Catalan province of Girona with 40 volcanic cones and roughly 20 basaltic lava flows. The terrain covers more than 15,000 hectares and blends Mediterranean vegetation with central European forests.
The volcanic zone formed through several eruptions between roughly 350,000 and around 8,300 years ago, with the Croscat volcano being the last one active. This long phase of geological activity shaped the landscape and left behind craters and lava fields.
Locals call the terraced fields on the volcanic slopes garrotxes, a word that gave the entire region its name. These farming plots show how people have worked with the rocky ground for centuries and turned it into land fit for crops.
Several visitor centers lie scattered throughout the park, including Can Passavent at Croscat volcano and Can Serra at Fageda d'en Jordà. These stations offer educational programs and information about walking routes and nature conservation.
The Fageda d'en Jordà beech forest grows at only 550 meters elevation, much lower than the usual range for beeches in this region. The drainage of the volcanic soil makes this unusual occurrence possible and creates a microclimate that gives the trees good conditions.
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