Grup de Recerca de Geobotànica i Cartografia de la Vegetació

The project of mapping the habitats of natural protected areas of special protection to 1:10.000 scale

We report the project of mapping the CORINE Habitats and the European Union Habitats of Interest (HCI) of natural areas of special protection managed by the Catalan Autonomous Government (the Generalitat) and the Barcelona Province Government (the Diputació de Barcelona). The project started in 2007 with the methodological design and the mapping of Pedraforca massif, driven by Natural Park of Cadí-Moixeró. Since then, the study has been extended to other protected areas.

The aim is to identify, locate and map the habitats in a detailed scale (1:10.000), using the catalan list of habitats as a legend, which has been drawn up from CORINE Biotopes Manual. European Union Habitats of Interest (HCI) are derived from this list. Photointerpretation is made from infrared orthophotos, and fieldwork provides the definitive assignment of map units. The geographic elements are structured in GIS through two layers: polygons and points. The points layer allows to represent small areas of habitats (smaller than 2000 square meters). The details of the methodological aspects related to the mapping and the organization of the information in cartographic databases can be consulted in the corresponding document.

The coordination of scientific tasks is managed by the research Group of Geobotany and Vegetation Mapping of the University of Barcelona, and some researchers are working in the mapping. The funding is now in charge of natural areas involved (either assigned to the Parks Office of the Catalan Autonomous Government, to the Network Natural Parks of Barcelona Province Government or, eventually, to the Barcelona City Council). It is intended that this cartography provides information about the presence, location, extension and valuation of habitats in the territory, in relation to the management that is done in the protected natural areas.

Available maps

    Natural protected areas managed by the Catalan Autonomous Government (the Generalitat)

• National Park of Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici   [habitats map access]
• Natural Park of Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser   [habitats map access]
• Natural Site of Massís de l'Albera   [habitats map access]
• Natural Park of Cadí-Moixeró   [habitats map access]
• Natural Park of Cap de Creus   [habitats map access]
• Natural Park of Montgrí, les Illes Medes i el Baix Ter   [habitats map access]
• Natural Park of Ports (partially)   [habitats map access]
• Natural Park of Serra de Montsant   [habitats map access]

    Natural Parks Network of the Barcelona Province Government (the Diputació de Barcelona)

• Natural Park of Montseny   [habitats map access]
• Park of Garraf   [habitats map access]
• Park of Montnegre and Corredor   [habitats map access]
• Natural Park of Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac   [habitats map access]
• Natural Site of Guilleries-Savassona   [habitats map access]
• Park of Castell de Montesquiu   [habitats map access]
• Natural Park of Serra de Collserola   [habitats map access]
• Park of Foix   [habitats map access]
• Park of Olèrdola   [habitats map access]
• Park of Serralada Litoral   [habitats map access]
• Park of Serralada de Marina   [habitats map access]

    Others

• Municipality of Gavà   [habitats map access]

SEMHAVEG - Habitats and vegetation map server

Grup de Recerca de Geobotànica i Cartografia de la Vegetació
Universitat de Barcelona. Facultat de Biologia
Avinguda Diagonal, 643. 08028 Barcelona
Tel.:934 021 476 - Fax: 934 112 842
jninot@ub.edu