GESTIÓN DEL MEDIO NATURAL DEL PARQUE REGIONAL DE SIERRA ESPUÑA (REGIÓN DE MURCIA) MEDIANTE LA DEFINICIÓN DE ITINERARIOS

Abstract

The objective of this work is to present soil itineraries developed in the Natural Park of Sierra Espuña (Region of Murcia). The Park has a surface of 17,804 ha, included in the municipalities of Alhama de Murcia, Totana and Mula. It has protection figures such as Special Protection Area (SPA), Site of Community Importance (SCI), Area of Biological Sensitivity and Area of Wild Fauna Protection. As a consequence, it presents high natural and touristic values. One of the most important aspects to consider are the soils which support the forest masses and shrublands. Thus, the formation factors of those soils and their processes have been studied, with a thorough characterization of eight different types of soil in the Park. Once the soils have been localized, eleven soil itineraries have been defined, supported by existing trails, so that visitors can observe the most remarkable characteristics of the soils, with their evolution in time. This has contributed to an increment in the touristic offer of the Park.