ZEC-ZEPA Lagunas y parameras del Señorío de Molina

ZEC-ZEPA Lagunas y parameras del Señorío de Molina is one of the most distinctive natural areas in the northeastern corner of Guadalajara province, spreading across roughly 6,150 hectares around the town of Molina de Aragón. The protected area stretches across several municipalities, including Campillo de Dueñas, Embid, Rueda de la Sierra, Tartanedo, Torrubia, Tortuela and La Yunta. Its defining feature is the combination of high limestone plateaus, locally known as parameras, with a scattered network of temporary, often brackish lagoons shaped by karst processes. Average elevation here exceeds one thousand metres, giving the whole landscape a stark, steppe-like character quite different from the greener valleys nearby.

Why is this area protected?

The site was designated in 2004 as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) and a Site of Community Importance (LIC), and it is now part of the Natura 2000 network under the code ES4240023. Its protected status stems mainly from a set of rare wetland habitats: shallow, seasonal lagoons — some saline, some freshwater — that fill up with rain and melting snow in winter and spring, then largely dry out by summer. Researchers count several thousand such depressions of varying size scattered across the plateau, forming an unusually rich mosaic of temporary wetlands within an otherwise arid landscape.

What wildlife lives here?

The limestone highlands are almost entirely treeless, covered instead by low, spiny scrub known locally as cambronal, along with thyme and tough Festuca grasses. This vegetation provides ideal cover for steppe birds, including one of the best-preserved regional populations of Dupont's lark (Chersophilus duponti), a notoriously shy and habitat-sensitive species that is a conservation priority across Europe. The plateau is also home to great bustards (Otis tarda), black-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis) and stone-curlews (Burhinus oedicnemus), all of which depend on open grazing land and traditional, unirrigated cereal fields to find food and nesting sites.

What can visitors expect to see?

The landscape shifts dramatically with the seasons. In spring, the lagoons fill with water, drawing in waterbirds and giving the plains a mirror-like quality rarely associated with this part of Spain. By summer, many of the same basins dry into pale, cracked flats ringed by golden cereal fields. From the higher vantage points, visitors can take in the full mosaic at once: meadows, rain-fed crops, rocky outcrops and small seasonal pools scattered across the plain. It is a quieter, more austere landscape than the dramatic limestone canyons of the nearby Alto Tajo, but no less rewarding for patient observers.

How to get there and when to visit?

Molina de Aragón serves as the natural gateway to the area, with local roads leading out into the surrounding villages scattered across the ZEPA. Spring is the best season for birdwatching, when steppe species are most active during their breeding displays and the lagoons hold enough water to attract additional visiting birds. Binoculars are recommended, and visitors should stick to main roads and marked tracks, avoiding cultivated fields and nesting areas so as not to disturb the birds. The site borders the Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark, making it easy to combine a visit here with other natural attractions in the region.

Frequently asked questions

Can you swim in the lagoons? No — these are shallow, seasonal, ecologically sensitive wetlands, and swimming or wading is discouraged to avoid disturbing wildlife.

Is there an entrance fee or fenced access? No, the area is open and is typically explored via local roads and tracks, with no ticket booths or checkpoints.

What is the best time of day for birdwatching? Early morning and late afternoon, when steppe birds are most active and temperatures are cooler.