Specially protected natural spaces. By types

Protected natural space

Land given special protection and management as established by the Administration, in order to preserve its scientific, ecologic, cultural, educational or scenic qualities. According to the type of protection this can be: a national park, natural place of national interest, natural park or nature reserve.

Natural place of national interest

Natural space or element of medium or small size with unique characteristics of scientific, scenic or educational interest, as declared by a law to guarantee its protection. In these places activities are limited to traditional agricultural, livestock and forestry activities that are compatible with the specific objectives of protecting the space and other activities that are appropriate for such management.

National park

Relatively large natural space, not necessarily modified by human activity, and of scientific, scenic or educational interest. Activities are forbidden here that exploit the natural resources or that alter the landscape. The aim of the declaration by law is to protect it from all interventions that could alter the physiognomy, integrity and evolution of its natural systems.

Natural park

Spaces with qualified natural values. The reason for protecting them is for their conservation to be compatible with the organised exploitation of resources and its inhabitants' activities. The declaration is made by decree.

Nature reserve

Small scale natural space of considerable scientific interest created to integrally preserve the set of natural ecosystems it contains or part of them. In accordance with these objectives, they are classified as integral or partial and the declaration is made by law and by decree, respectively. Activities are not allowed that could directly or indirectly damage the natural values being protected.

All specially protected natural spaces are included in the Plan for spaces of natural interest. Date on 31, December.

The Plan for spaces of natural interest (PEIN - Pla d'Espais d'Interès Natural) delimits and stablishes the required guidelines for the basic protection of the natural spaces which conservation must be guaranteed according to their scientific, ecological, scenic, cultural, social, educational and recreational values.

When the value is lower than that of the minimum unit to be able to estimate the statistical operation or if it effects statistical confidentiality, the symbol used is "..".