JBCLM | 2010-2025

As the visitor descends to the lower levels by the pond which recreates the Tablas de Daimiel nature reserve, soil moisture rises and the vegetation becomes denser, transforming Ciudad Real’s dry scrubland into a gallery forest by the pond. Here, the trees interlace their crowns to form galleries reminiscent of the Tablas de Daimiel wetlands, with a mix of ash, elm and willow, as well as nettle trees and other shrubs.

Nettle trees (Celtis australis) flank the path alongside willows, privet, honeysuckles, hawthorn, elms, dog rose and narrow-leaved ash. On the higher ground bordering this wetland, shrubs typical of drier Mediterranean habitats appear, such as laurustinus, strawberry tree, and false olive.

*Gallery or riparian forests grow along riverbanks and streams. These ecosystems are vital for regulating water flow and stabilising channels. They support a rich, complex community of flora and fauna, often threatened by human actions such as the removal of riparian vegetation.