Las Sierras de Béjar y Francia Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2006, in Spain. The Las Sierras de Béjar y Francia Biosphere Reserve is in the east of the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the south-east of Salamanca Province. In the west of the reserve lies the site of Cuidad Rodrigo and the Sierra de Gata. The reserve’s topography is marked by mountain ranges that traverse the area from the north-east to the south-west. These ranges have steep slopes and large gaps, and divide into two sub-plateaux in the centre. The higher altitudes reach up to 2,425 m at La Ceja. The lowest mountains reach 360 m at Soto Serrano. The two major rivers, the Duero in the north and the Tajo in the south, intertwine within the reserve and create hydrographic basins of high geographical and geological value. During the Ice Age, many flora species were isolated within Las Sierras de Béjar y Francia. After the glaciers melted, these endemic and rare species became of great phytogeographical importance.