Valle del Cabriel Biosphere Reserve (Spain). Located in the Cabriel River basin in eastern Spain, the 421,765.93 hectare the Biosphere Reserve is characterized by a diversity of landscapes: mountains, rock formations shaped by the confinement of fluvial channels, agricultural use in alluvial plains, salt marshes and lagoons. Notable flora in the area includes Iberian gypsum vegetation (Gypsophiletalia), karstic calcareous grasslands, Mediterranean forests of endemic black pines, endemic forests of Juniperus spp, and pre-steppe areas of gramineous and annuals. Rich cultural heritage remains the area include Villar del Humo, part of the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula World Heritage site. Fluvial channels across the Biosphere Reserve serve as ecological corridors connecting the whole territory and enabling the distribution of vegetation and fauna, as well as facilitating the dissemination of ideas and customs. The inhabitants of the Cabriel Valley have adapted to the their environment by employing unique, ancient sustainable practices based on agricultural activity, livestock and water use, which have helped them conserve their specific tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
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