Torre de Cerrillos y Paraje Natural Punta Entinas Sabinar

History (TORRE)

In the 14th century Yusuf I fortified the coast of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada to protect it from piracy; thus, under the direction of its Visir Abu al-Nuayn Ridwan (mandato that held from 1329 to 1359), a series of towers were built along the coast of the kingdom, among which are, in addition to the Torre de Cerrillos, the one of the Netherlands and the Roques. The original tower of Arab origin dates from the 14th century. The current is an alminara tower built at the end of the 16th century during the reign of Philip II, to protect the coast from frequent attacks by Berber pirates. It was built on the edge of the sea in masonry, small capacity, for two or three men, enough to make the guard and give the alarm. Its location responds to the need to have visibility for the bonfires and communicate among the different towers by means of “attack” riders every day.

It was the first mojón when the deslinde after the separation of Roquetas de Mar from the municipality of Felix in the eighteenth century. Maps of then and capitular records of the nineteenth century place it within the new municipality of Roquetas, on the other hand it is also placed within the municipality of El Ejido in many other documents, it is still not very well defined to which term it belongs, but it is currently considered that it is located between the municipalities of El Ejido and Roquetas de mar.

Legal protection

It has been listed as a Cultural Interest Good since 22 June 1993 with the category of Monument with the code RI-51-0007478. It is under the protection of the General Declaration of the Decree of 22 April 1949 and Law 16/1985 of 25 June (BOE number 155 of 29 June 1985) on the Spanish Historical Heritage. The Junta de Andalucía granted special recognition to the castles of the Autonomous Community of Andalusia in 1993.

From free access, its state is of progressive ruin and abandonment by the public administrations, as demonstrated by various associations and political parties, requiring urgent action to ensure its stability and to avoid the risk of detachments of elements of the tower.

NATURAL PARK

Location and extension

The natural space is located at the south-west end of the province of Almeria, at coordinates 36°42?N 02°42?O. It occupies a maximum extension of 1944.76 hectares—the Natural Park—while the Natural Reserve it hosts has an approximate extension of 785 hectares.

History

In the 1970s, without any kind of protection, it was in operation in the Salinas de Cerrillos by Unión Salinera, in addition to being pressured by the urban expansion of the urbanization of Roquetas de Mar by the East and Almerimar by the West, and the expansion of greenhouses from the North. In addition, this boom in the construction of greenhouses demanded sand for crops, being sold in large quantities by the operating company of the salines and which came from the dunes that were in the vicinity, eliminating the characteristic vegetation of the place. By 1977 the first environmental movement concerned with this environment, Grupo Ecologista Mediterranean, which two years later achieved provisional protection, despite being uneffective.

In 1980, the pre-autonomous Junta de Andalucía proceeded to include this space in the Province of Protectible Spaces Catalogue. Finally, by 1989 he was awarded the title of Natural Paraje.

General description.

The Natural Paraje Punta Entinas-Sabinar consists of a set of dunes close to the Mediterranean coast, among which are charcas (also called “charcones”), giving rise to different biotypes, within a sub-arid Mediterranean ecosystem.

Climate

The average annual temperature is around 18o C, while average annual rainfall is between 200 and 250 mm.

Flora and fauna

Juniperus phoenicea (sabine), abundant plant species in Punta Entinas-Sabinar. The predominant plant species that can be found in this ecosystem are the soft sainas (Juniperus Phoenicea), which name the Paraje, Sabinar, and lentiscos (Pistacia lentiscus). On the most salty soils the halophile vegetation like that of the family of the Quenopodiáceas (sosas, alacraneras), and in general throughout the Natural Paraje we will be able to find cambroneras (Lycium intrincatum), common reeds (Arundo donax), mountainous juncos (Juncus acutus), ballga or bufalaga Some parasite plant like the wolf jopo (Cynomorium coccineum). Alongside these indigenous plants there are other locals such as the tobacco tree, black tobacco or purple tobacco (Nicotiana glauca), from South America. Also the seabed is rich in flora and fauna, including the most western Posidonia oceanica meadows.

European flamenco is a regular bird in the ponds of the landscape.

As for fauna, the ornithological interest of the area can be noted, where dozens of bird species, such as Audouin seagulls (Larus audouinii) or Phoenicopterus (flamencos) birds can be observed. For the full extent of the Natural Paraje in its ponds, they inhabit fundamental species, many listed as vulnerable or endangered. It can be seen in the common seal (Fulica atra), in the real crank or blue (Anas platyrhynchos), the common hen (Gallinula chloropus), the syrup (Oxyura leucocephala), the European porn (Aythya ferina), the cigüeñuela common (Himantopus himantopus),

Environmental protection figures

The space of Punta Entinas-Sabinar was declared Natural Park and Natural Reserve in 1989, with the approval of Law 2/1989 of July 18, by the Parliament of Andalusia. It also has the protection figure of the Special Protection Zone for Birds (ZEPA), and since 27 January 2006, the Natural Paraje is one of the wetlands belonging to the 1971 Ramsar Convention.

Cambronera

Declared its public use as an area of land maritime public domain by the Law of Costas 22/1988 of 28 July, the Regulations of the Law of Costas approved by Royal Decree 1471/1989 of 1 December, and the delinde carried out by the Costas Service of the Ministry of the Environment in 2007. Punta Entinas-Sabinar paraje natural puza Punta Entinas-Sabinar salinas Punta Entinas-Sabinar humedal horseback riding Conservation The main factors that threaten this natural space are the proximity of intensive crops under plastic — invernaderos — and urban growth due to tourism in the area. On 7 July 2007, the Punta Entinas-Sabinar and Isla de Alborán Foundation was established on the basis of the legal figure of a Foundation under the protection of the Junta de Andalucía, in order to protect, preserve, defend and recover the Natural Paraje of Punta Entinas and the Island of Alborán, agreements that were raised to the public on 26 December 2007. By Resolution of February 3, 2010 of the General Secretariat for Planning, Climate Change and Environmental Quality of the Environmental Council of the Junta de Andalucía, the decree for the approval of the new Plan for the Management of Natural Resources (PORN). Various ecological and conservation groups coordinate the presentation of the different allegations to the project again PORN, which will have an validity of 8 years. The PORN was finally approved in early 2017.

Punta Entinas-Sabinar natural landscape puza

Punta Entinas-Sabinar salinas

Punta Entinas-Sabinar humedal horseback riding

Conservation

The main factors that threaten this natural space are the proximity of intensive crops under plastic—invernaderos—and urban growth due to tourism in the area. On 7 July 2007, the Punta Entinas-Sabinar and Isla de Alborán Foundation was established on the basis of the legal figure of a Foundation under the protection of the Junta de Andalucía, in order to protect, preserve, defend and recover the Natural Paraje of Punta Entinas and the Island of Alborán, agreements that were raised to the public on 26 December 2007.

By Resolution of February 3, 2010 of the General Secretariat for Planning, Climate Change and Environmental Quality of the Environmental Council of the Junta de Andalucía, the decree for the approval of the new Plan for the Management of Natural Resources (PORN).

Various environmental groups and conservationists coordinate the presentation of the different allegations to the project again PORN, which will have an validity of 8 years. The PORN was finally approved in early 2017.