- Region: Galicia (Lugo)
- Declared a biosphere reserve: 2006
- protected area: Almost 54,000 hectares
- Towns and villages: Cervantes, Navia de Suarna, Becerreá, Paradela, Quiezán, A Pobra, Rao, Son, Murias, San Román, Donis, San Pedro, Vilanova, Doiras, Cela, Noceda, Pintinidoira, Campa da Braña.
Points of Interest
Los Ancares Lucenses y Montes de Cervantes – Navia y Becerrea biosphere reserve is a unique mosaic of natural habitats. It is an Atlantic area of high and medium mountains in which the presence of important forest and woodlands stand out dominated by oaks, birch and chestnut accompanied by hazelnuts, holm oaks, rowan, maples, yews and holly. Scrub areas are also widely represented, in which dry heaths and mountain meadows play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity. It borders with Los Ancares Leoneses biosphere reserve in neighbouring Castilla y León.
This variety of habitats existing in the area is home to an abundant diversity of flora and fauna. In terms of flora, endangered species such as Lycopodiella inundata or Zygodon conoideus stand out, as well as taxa of community interest such as Festuca elegans, Festuca summilusitanica, Narcissus pseudonarcissus subsp. nobilis or Narcissus asturiensis.
In the fauna groups, among the invertebrates, the presence of the crayfish (Austropotambius pallipes) stands out.
This is Cantabrian brown bear (Ursus arctos) and Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) territory and the very rare (almost extinct) capercaille (Tetrao urogallus) is also present in small numbers.
Other areas within the limits of this biosphere:
- Place of Community Importance (SCI): Os Ancares-Courel, Cruzul-Agüeira.
- Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA): Ancares.
- Special Protection Area for Natural Values (ZEPVN): Os Ancares-Courel, Cruzul-Agüeira, Ancares.
- National Hunting Reserve.
- Brown Bear Protection Zone.
Find a hotel
Booking.comInformation / visitor centres
Centro de Interpretación y Gestión de la Reserva Nacional de Caza dos Ancares (Campa da Braña)
The official website for this biosphere reserve: http://osancareslucenses.deputacionlugo.org/es/
Iberia Nature Forum
Discover the Iberia Nature Forum – Environment, geography, nature, landscape, climate, culture, history, rural tourism and travel.
Iberia Nature Forum: https://iberianatureforum.com/
I’ve been living in this lovely area of Western Andalucia for the last 20 years or so and dedicate most of my time to the running of English language tourist information websites for the towns of Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema, the famous or infamous Caminito del Rey, and also Wildside Holidays, which promotes sustainable and eco-friendly businesses running wildlife and walking holidays in Spain.