The San Emiliano Valley Nature Conservation Area (ZEC) (ES4130035) is located in the far north of the province of León, encompassing four municipalities with significant geomorphological, ecological, and landscape contrasts. It is home to habitats such as petrifying springs and endemic forests and is protected by various national and regional regulations. The terrain varies from the rugged silhouettes and high altitudes of Peña Ubiña, Alto de la Cañada, Picos Albos, and Peña Orniz, to gentle, wide river valleys characterized by rich grasslands, especially the Luna Valley.
ZEC Valle de San Emiliano – ES4130035
OVERVIEW
Area (ha): 55.747,81 ha
Natura 2000 Code: ES4130035
Other protection statuses according to national or regional legislation:
Within the territorial scope of the ZEC, other protection statuses are included in accordance with national or regional legislation, such as inclusion in the Castile and León Protected Natural Areas Plan and in the Natural Recreational Areas: PIEN Babia and Luna Valleys. Likewise, seven Wetlands of Special Interest have been cataloged in accordance with Decrees 194/1994 and 125/2001. Fifty-seven Public Utility Forests, six Livestock Trails, and six proposed Flora Microreserves have been identified. The area is also within the scope of the Brown Bear Recovery Plan. Two Protected Areas have also been identified under International Instruments as Biosphere Reserves: the Babia Biosphere Reserve and the Omaña and Luna Valley Biosphere Reserve.
CURRENT SITUATION AND CONSERVATION ACTIONS OF THE PROJECT
The main land use in the San Emiliano Valley SAC (ES4130035) is forestry, comprising scrubland (41%), grassland (35%), open forest (11%), and closed forest (6%). The remaining land area is occupied by agriculture (5%), water bodies (1%), and artificial soil (1%).
Regarding land ownership, the majority is public (76%), while private land accounts for 23%. The remaining 1% is considered undetermined. The proposed actions in the project on habitats 7220* Petrifying springs with tuff formation (Cratoneurion) and 9560* Endemic forests with Juniperus spp., as well as on species 1658* Centaurium somedanum and its habitat, are located on public land.
The actions proposed by the project within the SAC ES4130035 San Emiliano Valley will significantly contribute to the conservation of the following habitat types: 7220* Petrifying springs with tuff formation (Cratoneurion) and 9560* Endemic Juniperus spp. forests, as well as the populations and habitat of the species 1658* Centaurium somedanum. All of this is located in Public Utility Forests of the province of León, managed by the JCYL (National Forestry Commission), which guarantees the availability of the land and its subsequent monitoring and maintenance.