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The region of Las Villuercas, where you find the Geopark Villuercas Ibores Jara, is
located in the North-East of Extremadura, between the rivers Tagus and
Guadiana. The borders of the area are in the north Campo Arañuelo, in the west Trujillo, in the south La Serena and
La Siberia (both in the province of Badajoz), and the east the Toledo
province (Castilla La Mancha).
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| The area has large
mountain ranges (Appalachian relief), with the oldest earth layers of Europe. The
highest top is the Pico Villuerca with 1,601 meters. Due to the geomorfical variety, Las Villuercas has
different ecosystems with multiple micro-climates. You find well-preserved deciduous and coniferous forests of
Pyrenean oak, Chestnut, Cork oak and dehesas of mainly Holm oak.
The most important continuous expanses of Cork oaks in Europe lie in the Western
part of Las Villuercas. Steppe areas also occur in this part of
Extremadura. |
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Since 2011, the main part of Las Villuercas has the status UNESCO
"Geoparque" - Geopark, because its territory has a tremendous
geological heritage and sites of particular importance with fossils and remains of prehistorical settlements.
The Geoparque
Villuercas Ibores Jara, which is the only of its kind in the western
part of Spain, has also great importance as a natural site and is
expected to boost tourism in the province of Cáceres. It
is worth noting that UNESCO is the body behind the realization of
the European
Geoparques Network. |
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| The majority (70%) of
Geopark Villuercas Ibores Jara is protected nature area, including the special
protection zones for birds (ZEPA - Zona Especiál Protección Aves). Not only
important as bird breeding grounds but also as winter shelter and
temporary stopover for migratory birds. Las Villuercas has a varied fauna with spectacular insect species and wildlife, including deer, wild boar, otter, genets and stone martens. The area is very tranquil, 2,544 km², with a human population of 14,500 or about 6 per square kilometer. Without exaggeration, it is a paradise for geologists and archeologists, birdwatchers, nature photographers, landscape painters, horse riders and hikers. |
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| The combination of mountains and valleys,
forests, climate, and how the people lived through the ages, has
made Las Villuercas into a unique and fascinating world. It is an area where you can enjoy landscapes without being confronted with the inconveniences of the modern world. An area with abundant rich natural resources and clean air. Really clean air. Las Villuercas is also one of the few places in Europe virtually free of "light pollution". If the sky is clear at night you can enjoy the spectacle of the galaxy with the naked eye. |
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Also, Las Villuercas has a rich
history- it has the most petroglyphs of Extremadura, and there are
numerous archaeological remains and traces of various cultures from
throughout the course of history. |
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