Exceptional trees

In the National Park and its Influence Zone, there are 43 trees catalogued as exceptional, according to the Castilla León and Madrid Autonomous Communities environmental regulations. Among them 10 are located inner the National Park.

In presence of one of those giants, we certainly cannot remain indifferent. Impressive stemflows, thick trunks and enormous twisted branches will invite us to contemplate and respect those nature jewels.

Cataloguing arboreal specimens as exceptional mainly follows monumental, historic, cultural and scientist criteria. Generally, it relates to trees with exceptional characteristics which have survived over the years, due to several reasons, lasting as live legends strongly linked to people and their environment.

In many occasions they are located in urban areas or close, in the Monasteries and palaces surroundings etc. In other cases, they are located in full nature, integrated in our forests or solitary in particular enclaves. Among those last ones, there are outstanding specimens of some autochthon species (Pyrenean oak, holly tree, Scots pine, birch, yew etc.) relics and witnesses of former times when forests were different than nowadays, due to climatic aspects and mountain logging and charcoaling usages.

In addition, there is a group of exotic species trees (Douglas firs, spruces, Caucasus firs, Lawson cypresses and larches) presenting majestic appearances and coming from old tree nurseries which stopped their activity at the early 20^th century.

It is also important to highlight the existence at the National Park of some trees with extraordinary dimensions, with possibilities to become catalogued and deserving both the specimen and its environment the maximum protection.

Within the National Park exceptional trees, we should emphasize the Barondillo Stream yew, a tree with a spectacular demeanour, and 1.500 years of estimated age.

Tree name	Specie	Location	Zone^*
Birch of El Toril I Stream	Betula alba	Canencia	ZPP
Birch of El Toril II Stream	Betula alba	Canencia	ZPP
Holly tree of Canencia Pass	Ilex aquifolium	Canencia	ZPP
Larch of the Mojonavalle tree nursery	Larix decidua	Canencia	ZPP
Yew of La Senda	Taxus baccata	Canencia	ZPP
Yew of Sestil de Maíllo	Taxus baccata	Canencia	ZPP
Scots pine of La Cadena	Pinus sylvestris	Cercedilla	ZPP
Sequoya of Las Campanillas	Sequoiadendron giganteum	El Espinar	ZPP
Caucasus fir of Peña Alta	Abies nordmandiana	Lozoya	PNSG
Lawson cypress of La Cebedilla	Chamaecyparis lawsoniana	Lozoya	ZPP
Lawson cypress of the bridge bends	Chamaecyparis lawsoniana	Lozoya	ZPP
Walnut of Lozoya	Juglans regia	Lozoya	APU
Juniper of Los Canalizos	Juniperus oxycedrus	Lozoya	ZPP
Spanish juniper of Los Canalizos	Juniperus thurifera	Lozoya	ZPP
Spruce of La Cebedilla I	Picea abies	Lozoya	ZPP
Spruce of La Cebedilla II	Picea abies	Lozoya	ZPP
Lord Weymouth pine of La Cebedilla	Pinus strobus	Lozoya	ZPP
Douglas fir of La Cebedilla I	Pseudotsuga menziesii	Lozoya	ZPP
Douglas fir of La Cebedilla II	Pseudotsuga menziesii	Lozoya	ZPP
Douglas fir of La Cebedilla III	Pseudotsuga menziesii	Lozoya	ZPP
Pyrenean oak of La Gallina	Quercus pyrenaica	Lozoya	ZPP
Pyrenean oak of La Maleza	Quercus pyrenaica	Lozoya	ZPP
Holly tree of Las Cerradillas	Ilex aquifolium	Manzanares El Real	PNSG
Holly tree of the Manzanares River	Ilex aquifolium	Manzanares El Real	PNSG
Scots pine of The French Sierra	Pinus sylvestris	Manzanares El Real	PN
Cork oak of Las Casiruelas	Quercus suber	Manzanares El Real	ZPP
Cork oak of El Ortigal or Cork oak of El Bandolero	Quercus suber	Manzanares El Real	PNSG
Yew of Los Hoyos Stream	Taxus baccata	Manzanares El Real	PNSG
Yew of El Civato Stream	Taxus baccata	Manzanares El Real	PNSG
Yew of Las Hoces Stream	Taxus baccata	Manzanares El Real	PNSG
Poplar of El Ayuntamiento	Populus x canadensis	Pinilla del Valle	APU
Spanish juniper of El Chorrillo	Juniperus thurifera	Rascafría	ZPP
Pine of Hoyo de los Claveles	Pinus sylvestris	Rascafría	PNSG
Poplar of Oteruelo del Valle	Populus x canadensis	Rascafría	ZPP
Cherry tree of El Soto de los Frailes	Prunus padus	Rascafría	ZPP
Oak tree of El Arroyo de la Redonda	Quercus petraea	Rascafría	PNSG
Pyrenean oak of La Mata del Pañuelo	Quercus pyrenaica	Rascafría	ZPP
Pyrenean oak of El Palancar	Quercus pyrenaica	Rascafría	ZPP
Willow of La Galapaguera I	Salix fragilis	Rascafría	ZAT
Willow of La Galapaguera II	Salix fragilis	Rascafría	ZAT
Whitebeam of El Molino del Cubo	Sorbus latifolia	Rascafría	ZPP
Yew of La Roca	Taxus baccata	Rascafría	ZPP
Yew of Barondillo Stream	Taxus baccata	Rascafría	ZPP

* ZPP: Peripheral protection zone; PNSG: Sierra de Guadarrama National Park; ZAT: Traditional settlement zone (PORN Sierra de Guadarrama); APU: Urbanistic planed areas