Ancares Lucense
A reserve in harmony between humans and nature
The Biosphere Reserve Os Ancares Lucenses e Montes de Cervantes, Navia e Becerreá (hereinafter, Os Ancares Lucenses) was declared by UNESCO under the Man & Biosphere Program (MaB) on October 27, 2006.
It occupies an area of 53,664 ha, and is located in the eastern part of the province of Lugo, including territories of 3 municipalities: Cervantes, Navia de Suarna and part of Becerreá (largely coincides with the Special Area of Conservation, ZEC, Cruzul-Agüeira).
Other natural areas included within the scope of the Biosphere Reserve are the ZEC Os Ancares-Courel, the Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) Ancares or the Brown Bear Protection Area. It also includes the Ancares National Hunting Reserve.
Os Ancares Lucenses are of great interest from an ecological point of view, since they are the limit between two biogeographic regions, the Eurosiberian and the Mediterranean. In addition to the typical Atlantic forests, beech forests such as A Pintinidoira and the chestnut grove of Agüeira, we can find oak groves such as Cruzul, and areas of scrubland with heaths and piornales. At the foot of the Agüeira grove is the well-known Grobos forest, where imposing limestone rock outcroppings shaped by the humidity give this place an almost magical atmosphere.
Between the 300 m of the Navia riverbed and the 1,987 m of the Mustallar peak, the intricate hydrographic network, the great variety of geological materials and the diversity of relief forms, some of glacial origin, increase the value of the ecological mosaic of the Reserve. A landscape without great peaks but mountainous, with the presence of important oak and birch forests, accompanied by hazel, rowan, maple, yew and holly trees.
This variety of habitats in the reserve harbors an abundant diversity of flora and fauna. In terms of flora, species of community interest such as Narcissus pseudonarcissus subsp. nobilis stand out. In the fauna groups, among the invertebrates, the presence of the crayfish (Austropotambius pallipes) stands out, and in the vertebrate community, species in serious danger of extinction, such as the brown bear (Austropotambius pallipes), and the brown bear (Austropotambius pallipes).The brown bear (Ursus arctos, considered a priority) or the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), which is one of the most endangered birds in this territory and enjoys strict protection at European, state and regional level.
The inhabitants of Os Ancares have maintained over time a delicate balance with the environment in their agricultural, livestock and forestry activities. The low population density, geographical isolation and orographic complexity have favored a well-preserved natural environment. A balance that is threatened by emigration and the aging of the population.
It is deduced an extraordinary capacity of its inhabitants to adapt to the harshness of the climate and the mountainous orography. This is attested by elements of popular architecture such as the pallozas, which are considered the oldest dwellings in Europe. These pre-Roman constructions, with the same layout as the circular houses of the castros, housed people and livestock under the same rye straw roof until the 1970s.
Some of them, converted into museums (such as the Palloza Museo Casa do Sesto in Piornedo), can be visited today and are the maximum exponent of the ethnological richness of the Ancares Lucenses.
From the prehistoric period, the group of megalithic necropolis stands out, each one formed by one or several mámoas, up to a total of 58, most of them in the municipality of Navia de Suarna. There are also 18 groups of petroglyphs, most of them in the municipality of Cervantes.
On the other hand, it is necessary to emphasize the set of 43 forts present in the territory, which constitute the form of settlement of the population from the Bronze Age until the end of the Romanization, such as the castro of Santa María de Cervantes. There are more than 100 identified gold mines from the Roman period in the three municipalities of the Reserve.
The existing castlesbear witness to the important medieval past of the area. The castle of Doiras (XV century) in Cervantes and the castle of A Proba de Navia (XIV century) stand out.
The area has an important set of traditional practices and activities that have a high ethnographic interest, such as the use of semi-natural mountain meadows and chestnuts in the soutos (chestnut forests), as well as beekeeping production, which has characteristic constructions that protect the bear hives (cortines or albarizas).The area has an important set of traditional practices and activities of great ethnographic interest, such as the use of semi-natural mountain meadows and chestnuts in the soutos (chestnut forests), as well as beekeeping production, which has characteristic constructions that protect the hives from the bear (cortines or albarizas).
It is possible to mention a series of high quality artisan food production, among which cheese, meat products, or products obtained from the forest environment (honey, chestnuts or blueberries, among others) stand out.
The persistence of these traditional activities and products is vital for the maintenance of the reserve's cultural and natural heritage.
The landscape, cultural and ethnological heritage are opportunities for economic development. More than 30 hiking trails allow us to discover this territory, such as the Tres Obispos (Three Bishops) or Quindous, as well as the Via Romana XIX, an ancient Roman road.