Valles del Jubera, Leza, Cidacos y Alhama (Spain)
The Valles del Leza, Jubera, Cidacos and Alhama Biosphere Reserve of the is located on the south-eastern border of the region of La Rioja, Spain, and occupies around 24% of its surface area (122,811 ha), although it is only home to 2% of its population. It is a territory of valleys and mountains that harbours a great wealth of distinct features, in terms of culture, scenery, nature, gastronomy and ethnography.
40 municipalities
are included in the biosphere reserve, of which 27 are encompassed entirely. The population density in the biosphere reserve is very low: an average of 5.16 inhabitants/km². The territory has 16 depopulated areas as a consequence of depopulation and rural exodus.
+ 11.000 dinosaur footprints
Spread over 176 sites, these footprints, thanks to their number, quality and state of preservation, make up one of the most important palaeontological collections in the world.
Almost 1,000
people attended the eight days of the "Starry Nights in the Biosphere Reserve" programme in 2022 to enjoy its magnificent night sky. The biosphere reserve was designated as a Starlight Tourist Destination in 2012, the first to be declared in a protected area.
Cultural assets
There are 65 assets of cultural interest in the territory, the Celtiberian site of Contrebia Leucade being of them. It is one of the oldest settlements in La Rioja, in which are preserved cave dwellings, a water well and an important wall.
The cliffs and gorges
The cliffs and gorges, shaped by wind and water, are common in the biosphere reserve. They compose an abrupt and rugged landscape where several rock birds nest, such as Bonelli's eagle (Neophron percnopterus), the Egyptian vulture (Falco peregrinus), the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), the red-breasted rock thrush (Monticola saxatilis), solitary rock thrush (Monticola solitarius) and wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria).
The Biosphere Reserve brand
The brand "La Rioja, Biosphere Reserve. Valles del Leza, Jubera, Cidacos and Alhama" is a sustainability label that identifies responsibly produced goods and services in the territory. There are currently 83 operators using to the brand.
Hot springs
Thermal facilities are also present in the biosphere reserve, where numerous natural hot and medicinal springs can be found.
The Plio-Quaternary Villarroya Basin and Climate Change
The Pilocuaternary Villarroya Basin contains information on how our climate will evolve. It contains palaeoecological indicators and extensive palaeoclimatic information that can be studied in the sedimentary layers of the lake basin on the site. The results obtained are useful to understand how the El Niño phenomenon will evolve in the near future. Thus, the results obtained are taken into account by scientists from all over the world, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).