ARKAMO-GIBIJO-ARRASTARIA
Descriptionandsituation MountainchaintothewestofAlava,which
includesoneofthemostrelevantholm-oak
grovesintheregion.
Surfacearea 11,538ha
Protectionstatus ZEC-NATURA2000(ES2110004)
Otherregionalornationalprotections
Mainuses Mainlylivestock,andtoalesserextent
forestry,huntingandrecreationaluse.
Ownership 97%public(MountainofPublicUse)
HabitatstargetedbyLIFE (4030)DryEuropeanheath,(4090)oro-Mediterraneanheath,(6170)Calcareousalpineandsub-alpinemeadows,(6210)drysemi-
naturalmeadowsandbrushfacies,(6220)pseudo-stepzonesandannualThero-
Brachypodieteagrasses,(6230)plantformationswithNardus.
Thesehabitatsoccupy28.30%ofthetotalsurfaceareaoftheZEC.
Thisspacehasthreegeomorphologicalunits:theArkamomountainrange,theGibijomountain
rangeandtheArrastariamountainrange.Theholm-oakandgall-oakgrovesmakeupmostof
theforesthabitat,andhostahighnumberofendangeredspecies.Thereare55faunaspecies
and4floraspeciesintheZECthatareincludedintheBasqueCatalogueofEndangered
Species;SaproxylicinsectssuchasthestagbeetleorRosaliaalpina,amphibianssuchasthe
alpinenewt,andfowlsuchasthegriffonvulture,theperegrinefalcon,thehenharrierandthe
Egyptianvultureliveinthisarea.Mammalsofnotearethe17batspecies,aswellasEuropean
mink,fatdormouse,wildcatandpolecat.
Inthehabitatsthatmakeupthemountainpastureenvironment,targetedbyLIFEOREKA
MENDIAN,oro-Mediterraneanheathwithgorsepredominates,andtheyhostupto5
populationsofNarcissusasturiensis,afloraspeciesofcommunityinterest.
ThevulnerabilityofthisZECisfocusedonitsdependenceonhumanactivity.Theprocessof
abandoninglivestockoverthepastyearsisclear,whichisleadingtothespreadofbrushwith
brambles,thistlesandjuniperthatcontributetothestructurallossofpasturehabitatsandan
increasedriskoffire.
ToreachtherecoveryobjectivesforthisNatura2000space,theaimistoclearbrushand
adaptthelivestockload,takingadvantageofunder-usedzonesinthemountainrange.Since
oneoftheproblemsisalackofwaterduringthesummer,4troughswillbebuiltwhich,along
withsomeenclosures,willkeepthelivestockinthedesiredareas.
