Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park
It’s main hallmark is its more than 200 lakes or ponds, the impressive cliffs of “Els Encantats” and its characteristic high mountain meanders (the aigüestortes). It’s a true paradise for nature lovers: lakes, streams, waterfalls, peat bogs, cliffs, rugged peaks and lush forests of black pine, spruce, Scots pine, birch and beech are home to a multitude of interesting plants and fascinating animals of alpine or boreal origin.
It represents the ecosystems of the high Pyrenean mountains and is a magnificent example of the action of the Quaternary glaciers. It’s lakes and mountains are home to the capercaillie, the black woodpecker, the bearded vulture, the serin, etc. Fir, black pine and beech forests cover the Park. In the alpine meadows we find gentians, buttercups, lilies, orchids and primroses, among others.
Where is the National Park of Aigstortes i Estany de Sant Maurici?
Located in the upper Pyrenees of Lleida between the counties of Pallars Sobirá and Upper Ribagorca
A paradise of summits, valleys and stanys
Located between the rivers Noguera Pallaresa and Noguera Ribagorzana, the Park consists of two valleys opposite its headwaters: Sant Nicolau, facing west, which is accessed from the village of Boí, and that of l’Written, facing east, with center in Espot. The headwaters of both valleys are joined in the Portarró d’Espot, a hill of 2,423 m altitude. The highest peak is the peak of the Comaloforno, with its 3,033 m, but the best known and symbol of the Park is the Massif of Els Encantats, two immense moles that rise to 2,747 m in front of the stand of Sant Maurici. The aigstortes found in the Sant Nicolau Valley are of great extension and constitute a paradigmatic place within the Park, so much so that they have given name to the National Park.
A glacial modeling
The impressive relief of granites and slates of the Park was formed about two hundred million years ago, emerging from the bottom of the sea that covered these lands. During various glacial periods, large masses of ice occupied all these valleys, eroding the landscape and giving it the look it looks like today. This landscape is characterized by the glacial circuses, the U-shaped valleys, some of them hung and some staggered, and by the more than two hundred stanys. Some of these stanys have undergone a process of colmatization, which has led to the development of flat and always wet meadows, where the waters of the rivers are divided into numerous meanders called “aigstortes”. This park is undoubtedly one of the best representations of the glacial erosion of the Quaternary.
More than two hundred lakes or stanys
This park is the most important lake area of the Pyrenees, so water is the main protagonist, both because it is the largest concentration of Pyrenean lakes and for the characteristic high mountain meanders, so typical, that give the National Park its name. The latter phenomenon occurs mainly and reaches its greatest beauty in two of its rivers, the Sant Nicolau, between Lakes Llong and Llebreta, and the Aiguamag. The lakes or stanys are more than two hundred (272), between large and small, almost all of them of glacial origin but very varied by their situation, either in the bottoms of the main valleys, such as the Sant Maurici, the Llong or the Llebreta, or in the high bottoms of glacial circuses such as those of Mar, Rius, Monges, Mangades, Travessani, Negre, Contraix, Ratera , Redó, Gerber, Flavored, etc. The former are usually around 2,000 m, while the latter are at altitudes between 2,200 and 2,500 m and are clearly linked to the formation of the glacial circus itself.
A surprising fact is the high concentration of stanys in some specific areas. We highlight the whole of the circus of Coloms, in the valley of Aran, the lake area of Cabdella, in the Pallars Juss, with more than thirty stalls, and the valley of Peguera, in the Pallars Sobir, with more than twenty.
Stanys, rivers and streams
In this National Park there are more than two hundred stanys, of which 150 are proper stanys, and the rest are temporary lagoons that can dry out in late summer. In the stanys, apart from zooplankton, live the common trout (Salmo trutta fario), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and piscardo (Phoxinus phoxinus). Amphibians abound here, among which the bermeja frog (Temporary Frog) and the common toad (Bufo bufo) are the most characteristic. You can also find the lution (Anguis fragilis) in humid but sunny places, with abundant herbaceous vegetation. Finally, we must not forget the Pyrenean newt (Euproctus asper), undisputed star of the torrents and lakes of the Park.
As for the birds, it is possible to observe the water blackbird (Cinclus cinclus), which dives into the water to re-exit a few meters later, after a few seconds, and sporadically appear to the blue anade (Anas platyrhynchos) and the royal heron (Ardea cinerea). In the rivers and streams lives the desman of the Pyrenees (Galemys pyrenaicus), although it is difficult to see it due to its nocturnal habits, its rarity and restricted area of distribution, and the otter (Lutra lutra), mammal of nocturnal and twilight customs and very difficult observation. Associated with the watercourses you will find the white washerwoman (Motacilla alba) and the cascadeña washerwoman (Motacilla cinera), among other birds.
A climate conditioned by altitude and relief
The climate of the National Park is Atlantic high mountain. Rainfall is usually more than 1,000 mm per year, and in winter they are usually in the form of snow. Snowfall is especially common between November and April. The average monthly temperature in winter ranges from 0 to 5oC, but in the high mountain it is even lower, since, for 4 or 5 months, the average monthly temperature is less than 0oC. The climate of the Park is highly conditioned by various factors, such as altitude, which ranges from 1,350 to 3,033 m, and the different orientation of its valleys, which facilitate the existence of a large number of different microclimates, with a greater oceanic influence in the open valleys to the north and west, and Mediterranean in which they look east or south. In high areas the climate is uniformized and water or snow precipitation can become in the order of 1,500 mm per year.
As the two main valleys are oriented in an east-west direction, the difference in sunstroke is very marked between the solana and the umbria, which directly affects the type of vegetation that develops in each of them.
A landscape of contrasts
The spectacular landscape of this National Park consists of a series of elements that complement each other in an almost perfect way, to give rise to a harmonious set of lush forests and green meadows, rivers and deep stans, waterfalls and immaculate neveros, which surprise and impress the visitor to this privileged place of the Pyrenees. All these aspects are more than sufficient to demand their protection and conservation.
A great diversity of forests covers this National Park
The National Park of Aigstortes i Estany de Sant Maurici presents a great biological diversity. 1,471 plant species have been described, of which 7.8% are Pyrenean endemisms, in addition to having 14.5% of species of strictly boreo-alpine or arctic-alpine distribution. Mushrooms, algae, mosses and lichens further enrich this privileged region of the Pyrenees. Regarding wildlife, the National Park was declared by the EU, ZEPA (Special Protection Area for Birds) in 1988 for the presence of the following species: bonebreaker, alpine lagopod, pardilla partridge, grouse and redhead chova. In addition, some notable endemisms, both vertebrates and invertebrates, linked to well-preserved high mountain habitats, still live in the interior of the National Park.
Bee and fir mixed bee and forests
The beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) are quite extensive on the banks of Caldes, and form small forests in the umbria of Sant Nicolau. Accompanying these forests we will find other trees such as hazelnuts (Corylus hazelnut), willow cabruno (Salix caprea), birch trees (Betula pendula), boj (Buxus sempervirens) and some holly (Ilex aquifolium). As these are very green forests, there are few plants that can grow. Still, some species such as pulmonaria (Pulmonaria affinis) and convalaria (Convallaria majalis) grow
The shrubs and herbs are also numerous, so we find the raspberry (Rubus idaeus), the groselleros (Ribes petraeum, R. alpinum) and the strawberry (Fragaria vesca). These deciduous forests are rich in mushrooms, so you can find Amanita muscaria, Boletus edulis or Cantharellus cibarius. One plant characteristic of these forests is the Neottia nidus-avis orchid.
In the most umbrian areas, the bean is mixed with fir (Abies alba) and form fresh and umbrose forests, where the undergrowth is poorer than in the previous case. We will find more mosses and ferns (Dryopteris filix-mas and Gymnocarpium dryopteris).
These forests are located on the wettest slopes, but where other forests cannot grow because the soil is very stony or because it is an area of alludes. It is also possible to observe them in the clearings of coniferous forests. The dominant tree is the hazelnut (Corylus hazelnut), and is accompanied by the serbal of hunters (Sorbus aucuparia), birch (Betula pendula), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), cabruno willow (Salix caprea), etc.
Mixed forest of fir trees, birch trees and beech trees in autumn. An explosion of color.
At both entrances of the Park grow wild pine or albar forests (Pinus sylvestris) that reach up to 1,800-2,000 m altitude and that are located on the driest slopes. These forests are usually accompanied by piornos (Genista europaea subsp. balansae), juniper (Juniperus communis) and brecina (Calluna vulgaris). When these pine trees grow in more umbrian areas, species such as cranberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), Deschampsia flexuosa or Luzula nivea appear.
Fir forests
Fir forests are located on umbrian slopes and in humid and cool environments, between 1,600 and 1,900 m. It is a forest dominated by fir (Abies alba), but due to the darkness of these forests, the shrub and herbaceous stratum is very poor. Still, it is possible to find some cranberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), Lonicera nigra, violet (Viola sylvestris) and some mosses (Hylocomium splendens, Mnium spinosum, etc.). The largest abetal is that of the Mata de Valencia d’Aneu, although espot’s abetal also stands out.
Black pine forests
As we gain at altitude, there is a tree that is imposing itself in the landscape: it is black pine (Pinus uncinata), conifer very resistant to cold, snow and strong blizzards. The black pine pine pine pine tree with rhododendron (Rhododendron ferrugineum) is one of the most typical communities in the Park. Under the shade of pine grow species such as rhododendron, boj (Buxus sempervirens), cranberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and various mosses (Hylocomium splendens and Rhitidiadelphus triquetrus).
When the black pine forest is formed by scattered trees, its undergrowth changes and so we can see the gayuba (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) and juniper (Juniperus communis subsp. nana).
Animal life in the forests
Among the most characteristic inhabitants of these forests are the squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), the corzo (Capreolus capreolus), the gamo (Lady Lady) and the wild boar (Sus scrofa).
In the beans and mixed deciduous forests we can observe the grey lyron (Myoxus glis) and the field mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), which are part of the community of small mammals of these forests; the black dick (Dryocopus martius) reaches high densities in these environments, especially in forests with old trees and that because of the environmental requirements it has, is a good indicator species of the health of our forests. In the old trees and dead logs, you can find numerous insects, such as the spectacular rosalia alpine beetle, metallic blue.
In the fir and pine forests of black pine we find the splendid grouse (Tetrao urogallus) which is relatively abundant in the Park, although in some areas it seems to be in regression and the boreal owl (Aegolius funereus) which is a very rare species in the Pyrenees and very difficult to surprise, since it begins its activity with twilight and goes to sleep with the first light of the day. In the umbrians of these forests we can feel the characteristic bridal flight of the partridge chocha (Scolopax rusticola), during the months of May and June. This bird spends summer here and at the end of October it flees the cold winter.
In the fir and pine forests of wild pine we will observe the deer (Cervus elaphus) which is another large mammal that has recently colonized the Park, from the populations of the northern slope of the Pyrenees. It is most common on the Banks of the Aranes and Pallars Sobir.
The high mountain Matorrales, grasslands and high mountain rocks
From 2,200 m, the weather conditions are so harsh that few trees can grow. Here the landscape is composed of extensive canchales, home to numerous birds, and extensive meadows that, in summer, are covered in color due to the numerous plants that grow here.
In areas where trees (rocky slopes, rock blocks, allude corridors) can no longer grow, we can encounter high mountain scrub. In the shade orientations dominates the rhododendron, accompanied by blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus, V. uliginosum), alpine pink (Rosa pendulina), Gentiana burseri and Homogyne alpine. In the screeds, we will find a thicket of boxes and ebros, accompanied by some pyorno
Grasslands
In the National Park there are different types of grasslands, depending on the altitude at which they are located, their orientation and the substrate on which they grow.
Festuca paniculata grasslands These grasslands are dominated by Festuca paniculata and grow in solana areas. It is usually accompanied by plants such as paradisea (Paradisea liliastrum), asfodelo (Asphodelus albus), campanulas (Campanula ficarioides, C. glomerata), Iris latifolia, various dandelions (Leontopodon hispidus, Hieracium hypeuryum), carnials (Dianthus hyssopifolius), etc.
Cervune grasslands In the subalpine areas, where man has eliminated forests, the cervune grasslands (Nardus stricta), accompanied by Festuca nigrescens or Festuca eskia, some sanctified grass (Galium verum), some carnation (Dianthus deltoides), millenrama (Achillea millefolium) and mountain liquorice (Trifolium).
Calcareous grasslands In the sparse limestone areas of the Park, we find very rich pastures floristically. On stony slopes, more or less eroded and dry, dominates the Festuca gautieri, accompanied by Thymus nervosus, Sideritis hyssopifolia, Astragalus sempervirens, Vicia pyrenaica, etc.
In the not-so-sloping and dry areas, denser grasslands appear, mainly made up of Festuca nigrescens, along with Primula elatior subsp. intricata or Gentiana verna. In the slightly stony areas, a willow endemic to the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountain Range (Salix pyrenaica) is mixed.
Festuca Eskia Grasslands
Festuca Eskia is one of the most abundant plants in the Park. It dominates extensive grasslands in various high mountain environments, always on acid substrates.
It is usually accompanied by mountain liquorice (Trifolium alpinum), cervuno (Nardus stricta), Campanula scheuchzeri, Gentiana alpina and Pyrenees ranuncle (Ranunculus pyreaneus).
Source: Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y Reto Demográfico del Gobierno de España. www.miteco.gob.es