Nature Network 2000, comprising the best nature spaces in Europe, will preserve 23 percent of the land in the province
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The Junta is to designate these areas as autonomic natural spaces
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 Nature Network 2000, the big European environmental project aimed at protecting areas of high ecological value, looks as if it is finally taking off. With a delay of four years – it does, after all, feature year 2000 in its name – the European Union has informed the Spanish autonomous communities that it will approve the proposals they have made at the end of the year, ready for carrying out, as is the case of Andalucia.
And Málaga, without doubt does very well out of this network project, with a total of 38 natural spaces and rivers being designated Places of Community Interest (LIC), we were told by the Enviroment Delegation in the Junta de Andalucia. The EU will protect 23 per cent of total land area of Andalucia, which amounts to 164,550 hectares, almost double the area currently under official protection. The Enviromental Delegate in the Junta, Juan Ignacio Trillo, is very happy that Málaga has one per cent more protected space than the national average, and although that might seem to be a small percentage, it amounts to one percent of 738,554 hectares, which is the total surface area of the province. |
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| The Proposals |
 The first proposal made by the Junta in 1999 involved the protection of 19 spaces, most of them Nature Reserves already under some protection. The EU agreed to confirm these proposals in 2001, along with 16 river areas, almost all tin the western parts of the region where otters have been discovered. Also added to the areas proposed for protection were the Genal valley, the Belda Cave (in Cuevas de San Marcos), Yeso, Higueronas and El Marrubio, where there are protected bat species. The European Union also recently encouraged the Junta to include marine life in the bay of Estepòna on the list, which has some species of plant life that are in danger of extinction.
Málaga, as well as Andalucia as a whole, plays a very important part in the environmental project, given that the province has 50 of the 76 habitats of EU interest in Andalucia. Ten of these are listed as priority habitats, which is to say, they are among the most important on the European continent. Besides, 34 species of the 96 that are being protected are in the province of Málaga. |
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| Andalusian Management |
 A European Union law of 1989 provides for the establishment of a series of natural spaces that would constitute an inventory of Protected Natural Spaces in Andalucia, made up of Nature Parks, Nature Reserves and protected area under other designations, including Zones of Community Importance . Once the EU approves the establishment of these spaces, the Junta will have six years to declare them autonomous nature reserves. This guarantees them full protection under established Andalusian government environmental regulations.
The Zones of Community Importance will be of two types. The first are the Zones of Special protection for Birds, aimed at ensuring the survival of birds species and their reproduction in areas like the Fuente de Piedra lake. The Other category is the Special Conservation Zones, which are being established to maintain existing natural spaces or restore habitats that are in danger. A clear example of this type of protected space would be in Los Reales de Sierra Bermeja, which is of special geological interest. Here the extraordinary rock formations make for a unique landscape that also has the very rare Pinsapo tree, a species that is exclusive to this part of the Mediterranean.
Also included in this category are the Sierras de las Nieves, Grazalema, Bermeja, Blanca and Blanquilla (which has an important Pinsapo forest), Los Alcornocales (for its incredible cork oak forest, one of the biggest in the world), El Torcal in Antequera (for its fascinating rock formations), the Valley of Adbalajís and Encantada del Sur, the Sierra de Camarolos (in the Axarquía) and Sierra Molina, for its magnificent pine forests. |
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| Rich Birdlife |
 The Future Nature Network 2000 will also include the extraordinary Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, and the maritime area that makes up the Nature Reserve of the Cliffs of Maro-Cerro Gordo.
The Exceptional bird life of Málaga province has not been forgotten in this list of protected natural spaces. These include the wetlands of the Fuente de Piedra, La Ratosa and Campillos lakes, and the Sierra Crestellina, which is home to an important flock of griffon vultures.
The EU plan will protect 16 river areas, among them the Río Fuengirola, which has a rare dragonfly species. Among the Rivers to be protected are some in a very poor state of conservation, flowing through industrial and urban areas and used for dumping waste of all types in. It is expected that the rivers in question can be brought back to their original state, and this is what the EU project is all about. |
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| Of the 38 natural spaces and protected rivers, 12 of them are parks or Andalusian Nature Reserves, which means that they are offically protected. |
| Sierra de Grazalema Nature Park: |
Between Malaga and Cadiz, the park covers a total of 14,776 hectares. |
Los Reales de Sierra Bermeja Nature Reserve: |
1.214 hectares. |
Los Alcornocales Nature Park: |
In the province of Cadiz, covering 12,331 hectares. |
| Torcal de Antequera Nature Reserve: |
2,004 hectares. |
Sierra Blanca: |
6,471 hectares. |
Río Real: |
9,79 hectares. |
| Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park: |
20.150 hectares. |
Sierra de Camarolos: |
8,709 hectares. |
Río del Párdon: |
7,32 hectares. |
| Río Guadalmansa: |
7,14 hectares. |
Sierra de Molina: |
761 hectares. |
Arroyo de la Cala: |
8,02 hectares. |
| La laguna de las Ratosa Nature Reserve: |
172 hectares. |
Lagunas de Campillos: |
1,343 hectares. |
El Río Guadalmedina: |
25,08 hectares. |
| Maro-Cerro Gordo Nature Reserve: |
211 hectares. |
Valle del rio Genal: |
23,401 hectares. |
Río Manilva: |
12,08 hectares. |
| Desfiladero de los Gaitanes Nature Reserve: |
2,170 hectares. |
Río de Castor: |
7,41 hectares. |
Calahonda: |
483,84 hectares. |
| Sierras Bermeja and Real: |
30,932 hectares. |
Cueva de Belda: |
23,29 hectares. |
Río Guadiaro: |
9,73 hectares. |
| Sierra Crestellina Nature Reserve: |
496 hectares. |
Río Verde: |
108,4 hectares. |
Sierra Blanquilla: |
1.473,63 hectares. |
| La laguna de Fuente de Piedra Nature Reserve: |
8,662 hectares. |
Río Guadaiza: |
9,03 hectares. |
Ríos Guadalhorce, Fabalas and Perellas: |
83,34 hectares. |
| Sierra Tejeda-Almijara Nature Park: |
In the province of Granada, covering 19,392 hectares. |
Yeso, Higuerones and El Marrubio: |
169,62 hectares. |
Estepona Bay Marine Life: |
552,56 hectares. |
| Sierras de Abdalajís and Encantada del Sur: |
2,775 hectares. |
Río Guadalmina: |
7,4 hectares. |
Río Guadelevín: |
15,19 hectares. |
| Sierras de Alcaparaín and Aquas: |
5,574 hectares. |
Río Fuengirola: |
19,73 hectares. |
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