Hayedos de Navarra

In the western Pyrenees of Spain near the French border are the last remnants of original beech forests. Together with heath, oak and riparian forests and clear mountain streams, they are part of a fascinating mountain environment. The primeval beech forests are characterised by a high proportion of dead wood. The mighty trunks are rich in lichens and mosses. The wildlife is also still largely pristine. The property is considered to be a glacial refuge area of the beech on the northern Iberian Peninsula.

• UNESCO recognition: 2017
• Protected area: Natural Forest Reserves
• Beech forest region: Pyrenaic-Iberian
• Area: 235.03 ha
• Number of component parts: 2
• Altitudinal range: montane to sub-alpine (850 – 1,730 m above sea level)
• Fauna: Brown bear, Pyrenean desman, Golden eagle, Wood grouse, White-backed woodpecker, Alpine longhorn beetle