Vegetation
The vegetation, typical of the Mediterranean mid-mountains, is rich and varied, and the relief and altitude provide nuances. The riverbanks are lush and leafy, in contrast to the limestone moors, where more xerophytic communities grow, with a profusion of aromatic plants. At medium altitudes, there are good groves of laricio pine alternating with holm oak groves in the warmer exposures and groves of pedunculate oak in the more humid exposures.
The upper floor, on the other hand, is dominated by Scots pine with an undergrowth of boxwood and creeping juniper. The prized and coveted robellón blooms here in autumn. . Extensive pine forests, exploited for forestry purposes since ancient times, alternate with pastures and rangelands that have been used for livestock since time immemorial, albeit with a strong seasonal imperative due to the climate.
A large part of the Maestrazgo territory is included in the SCI (Site of Community Importance) “Muelas y Estrechos del Guadalope”. It occupies the northernmost part of the Sierra del Maestrazgo. It has a total surface area of 19,174 hectares between the Maestrazgo and Cuencas Mineras regions. There are 9 municipalities affected by the SIC, 7 of which are in Maestrazgo: Cañada de Benatanduz, Cantavieja, Castellote, Fortanete, Pitarque, Tronchón and Villarluengo, which together account for 84% of the surface area of the Maestrazgo region.
It is an area of great interest for flora and fauna, mainly due to the presence of fluviokarst canyons and narrow valleys sculpted by the dominant fluvial system. On the limestone walls we find important rock formations and a good number of birds that use the limestone walls for nesting.
Almost all the vegetation is black pine and Scots pine, but there are also mixed forests such as holm oak, juniper and pedunculate oak in the shaded areas and in the wetlands. They are important because of their particular interest due to the presence of maples, yews, holly, boxwoods and hazelnut trees. In the most degraded areas, shrubs such as kermes oak and black juniper can be found.
Land use is traditional agriculture and livestock, extensive sheep farming and pine forestry.
The presence of orchids in Maestrazgo is remarkable. In Spain there are about 120 species, of which 36 are found in the region. What makes this area special is that it is home to the Epipactis group, a type of orchid not found in the rest of Aragon. The Maestrazgo is the area where we find more species of this group; there is even one, Epipactis Provincialis, very rare and exclusive of Fortanete and Villarroya de los Pinares. In addition, you can see Epipactis Cardina, which was discovered and described in Fortanete, but has since been seen in other places. Other groups that can be seen in the area are Ophryx, Dactylorhiza or Orchis.
