Mariñas Coruñesas y Tierras de Mandeo biosphere reserve

Mariñas Coruñesas y Tierras de Mandeo biosphere reserve

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  • Region: Galicia (la Coruña)
  • Declared a biosphere reserve: 2013
  • Protected area: 114.359,57 hectares (terrestrial) and 2.866,45 hectares (marine)
  • Main Towns: Abegondo, Aranga, Arteixo, Bergondo, Betanzos, Cambre, Carral, Coirós, Culleredo, Curtis, Irixoa, Miño, Oleiros, Oza- Cesuras, Paderne, Sada y Sobrado.

Points of interest

Located on the Cantabrian-Atlantic coast of Galicia, the Mariñas Coruñesas y Tierras de Mandeo biosphere reserve is a mix of sea and mountain landscapes with cliffs, islands, coastal plains, beaches, dunes, estuaries, marshes and lagoons and includes 109 km of Atlantic coastline. There is a great natural wealth and biodiversity in this area that has coexisted with traditional and cultural practices of fishing and livestock farming.

In the mountainous area, the courses of the Mandeo and Mero rivers flow and intermingle amongst a variety of landscapes and riverside woodlands of alder and oak where paleotropical ferns, considered to be true living fossils can be found.

The core zones of the Costa de Dexo, Costa da Morte, Betanzos-Mandeo and the Abegondo-Cecebre’s reservoir play an important role in terms of conservation of the area and were already included in the Red Natura 2000 project. The Costa de Dexo in ​​the municipality of Oleiros runs along the marine strip between the Mera lighthouse and the port of Lorbé and includes all the islands and islets near the coast. This coastal strip is one of the few well-preserved natural spaces on the entire Costa Ártabra and is protected as a national natural monument. Other important coastal areas are the Costa de la Muerte and Betanzos-Mandeo.

The Costa de Dexo, part of the natura 2000 network and a protected national monument
The Costa de Dexo, part of the natura 2000 network and a protected national monument

The Camino de Santiago passes through the entire area via the Camino Inglés and the Camino Norte whilst the important Roman road “Per Loca Marítima” historically connected Astorga to Oporto.

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This short video gives an excellent overview of the Mariñas Coruñesas y Tierras de Mandeo biosphere reserve and I realy like the music that goes along with it! 🙂

Information / visitor centres

Centro de interpretación Chelo

The main interpretation centre for the Mariñas Coruñesas y Tierras de Mandeo biosphere reserve is easy to find located in the town of Chelo. There are permenent exhibitions covering the fauna and flora of the area along with ethnographic, cultural and historical information.

Museo Aula do Ma

The “Costa de Dexo” Natural Monument occupies the north coast of Oleiros town and the old lighthouse keeper’s house is home to the museum and interpretation centre “Aula do Mar“

The Crendes and Piadela bird observatories.

The Abegondo-Cecebre reservoir, formed by the union of the Mero and Barcés rivers, was built between 1975-76 to cover the supply of drinking water to the municipalities of La Coruña, Arteixo, Bergondo, Cambre, Culleredo, Oleiros and Sada. Since March 2014, it has been part of the network of protected areas of the European Union (Red Natura 2000) as a Special Conservation Area (ZEC) and, within the Biosphere Reserve, it is one of those that form the core area. The reservoir attracts birds such as osprey, black kite, great crested grebe, great egret, green sandpiper, grey wagtail, Iberian chiffchaff along with various ducks, gulls and great cormorant all of which can be viewed from the Crendes and Piadela Bird observatories.

The official website for the Mariñas Coruñesas y Tierras de Mandeo biosphere reserve: http://marinasbetanzos.gal/en/

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