{"id":46865,"date":"2025-02-23T23:37:24","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T22:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travesiapirenaica.com\/?p=46865"},"modified":"2025-02-26T23:33:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T22:33:26","slug":"the-orgi-forest-a-natural-treasure-in-navarre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travesiapirenaica.com\/en\/el-bosque-de-orgi-un-tesoro-natural-en-navarra\/","title":{"rendered":"The Orgi Forest: a natural treasure in Navarre"},"content":{"rendered":"

Located to the south of the Ultzama valley, in the northern part of Navarre, the Orgi Forest is a relict of the ancient humid oak groves that, 4000 years ago, covered the area and extended over a large part of Europe. Nowadays, they are a rarity on the Iberian Peninsula, and can only be found in a few valleys in Alava and Navarre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A forest with history<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Orgi forest has been used since the Middle Ages for grazing and obtaining wood, firewood and other resources. In 1985, the residents of Lizaso, faced with the need to modernise their town, considered cutting it down in order to sell its wood. However, the Government of Navarre offered to lease it for 30 years, thus financing the improvements without losing ownership of the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to this decision, Orgi was able to recover and attract visitors. In 1995, in view of the increase in tourism and its environmental impact, a competition was held for ideas for its management, leading to its declaration as a Natural Recreational Area in 1996. This model sought to balance public use with conservation and environmental education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Orgi currently receives more than 30,000 visitors a year, including thousands of schoolchildren, making it a benchmark for environmental management. Its success has aroused interest in other regions and has led to its inclusion in the Natura 2000 Network within the Special Area of Conservation of the \"Ultzama-Basaburua oak groves\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three zones for conservation, education and leisure.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With an extension of 77 hectares of communal woodland belonging to Lizaso, the Natural Recreational Area of the Orgi Forest pursues three fundamental objectives: conservation of the oak forest, environmental education and recreational use. To this end, the forest is divided into three zones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n