A walk on the wild side

Yesterday we went on a trip organised by various agencies involved in the Parque Natural Alcornocales, with the aim of educating local people about the natural environment and activities in the park.   This included a walk in an area which is undergoing repoblación, i.e. the native trees and shrubs have been replanted following widespread clearance back in the 1960s.  The rainclouds kindly held off until about five minutes before the end of the walk!

The start of "Sendero La Teja", on the old A381 just north of Los Barrios

Explaining the principles of repopulation

Gorse, pine and cork-oak

November is the time of year for setas (a general term for edible wild mushrooms)

Climbing up the firebreak

Blooming Heather

Baby pines rapidly turn into ...

... full-grown pine trees!

The Alcornocales is one of the few remaining habitats of the insectivorous
plant Drosophyllum lusitanicum. Look closely and you can see its lunch.

Cattle need to be kept out of the repopulation zone because they eat the new growth ...

... but no fence can keep out the corzo, or roe deer

This piece of sandstone would not be out of place in an art gallery.
Unfortunately it was too big to go in my bag.

More setas.  No idea if they are edible!

More rock-art.