Pinar del Rey, Natural landscape in San Roque, Spain.
Pinar del Rey is a natural landscape spanning Los Alcornocales Natural Park, featuring dense Mediterranean forests mixed with open woodland areas. The terrain shifts between thick forest patches and clearings where cork oaks, cork species, and various shrubs create a layered environment.
This landscape was established as a protected forest in the early 1800s and has served as a resource for timber and cork for local communities ever since. The long history of use shaped both the ecosystem and the region's economy across many generations.
The cork oak forests shape the region's identity and livelihood, with local communities maintaining traditional harvesting practices that continue to define how people interact with the land today. Walking through these woods, you witness an ongoing relationship between people and nature that has evolved over generations.
The area offers marked trails and information signs about local biodiversity to help you navigate and understand what you see. Designated spots throughout the forest make it easier to explore different sections and watch for wildlife.
This location sits where Atlantic and Mediterranean climates meet, creating conditions for rare species rarely seen elsewhere in the region. This geographical meeting point allows an unusual mix of plants and animals to thrive, making the reserve ecologically important.
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