The Park is situated to the south-west of Barcelona,
approximately a half hour's drive from the city. Its limits are the lower valley
of the river Llobregat, the Mediterranean sea andthe
Penedés Depression. The Park has two different geological regions: limestone
and conglomerates. The limestone scenery is spectacular, with dolines, potholes,
gorges, limestone pavements and a river resurgence at the coast.
Investigating the effects of fire on the ecosystem
Most of the Garraf offers a characteristic southern
Mediterranean landscape. The vegetation is of African origin. Garraf is the most
northerly area of Europe where this type of vegetation grows. It can be
categorized as garrigue (typical Mediterranean xerophytic vegetation found on
limestone) or brolla, (a variety of shrub land found on south-facing slopes).
Rural depopulation has left many farmhouses and villages in the
region deserted. The area has seen a recent growth in second homes and tourism
is growing in importance in the village of La Plana Novella.
The Garraf is a very important area for the manufacture of
cement. Several large quarries operate cement plants, exporting to other
Mediterranean countries through the ports of Garraf and Barcelona. Exhausted
pits are used as land-fill sites, which have caused contamination of the ground
water.
The area was declared a Natural Park in 1986, forming part of a
green belt that surrounds the strongest urbanized sector in Spain.
Students studying the impact of fire on the vegetation
Limestone scenery: processes and
landforms.