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ROUTES THROUGH THE PARK Master class on biodiversity in El Porcal The dominance of the aquatic environment Water, omnipresent, is undoubted- ly the element that determines the character of the Southeast Regional Park. Rich meadows, in line with the riparian forests, 123 wetlands and la- goons, over more than 400 hectares, form a significant part of the lands - cape. Many of these lagoons are the result of the extraction of aggregates below the water table for decades, in areas close to the river banks. Among the species that inhabit this environment of high ecological va- lue, recognised as a Special Pro- tection Area for Birds, are the purple heron, the little bittern, the marsh harrier and the Purple Gallinule, as well as coots and coots. As for the vegetation present, the- se lagoons are made up of certain trees such as poplars, willows, po- plars and tarays; and bushes or plants such as reeds, cane and bul- rushes. Some 120 different species feed on the flora of the banks or on the fish or amphibians, such as the spotted toad, which inhabit these aquatic environments. It should be noted that the ecological importance of the lagoons also led to their inclu- sion in the Natura 2000 network. On the other hand, at least 50% of the territory occupied by the Sou- theast Regional Park is cultivated with crops, especially maize, althou- gh this environment is also made up of forests dominated by pines and kermes oaks, accompanied by holm Within the Southeast Regional Park is the El Porcal estate, a former silica aggregate mining operation with an area of 459 hectares, whe- re the Cementos Portland Valderri- vas Group developed its production activity, close to the municipality of Rivas Vaciamadrid. After years of effort and investment in environ - mental restoration, El Porcal was declared a protected area in 1994, and included as a biosphere reser- ve of the Community of Madrid. It is also the largest lagoon in the region. Several students enrolled in the Research and Management of Pro- tected Areas course of the Master in Conservation Biology, taught by the Complutense University of Ma- drid, recently visited the site, where they received a master class on the conservation and development of fauna and flora from the Nauman - ni Ecological Association. Species such as the great crested grebe, the beetle-wasp, the common cres- ted toad and the otter, as well as others as unique as the great cor- morant and the red-crested po- chard, unfortunately threatened, enrich the biodiversity of this area. oaks and gall oaks. When night falls, eagle owls can be seen along with owlets, owls and the common cur- lew. On the other hand, and at any time of the day, the great bustard or the red kite also make their appea- rance. As for the terrestrial fauna, you can find all kinds of mammals such as rabbits, hares, foxes, badgers, wild boars and small rodents; and repti- les such as the ocellated lizard, the ashy lizard, the leper pond turtle and the snake. Finally, we must also highlight the in- vertebrate fauna, with a great diver- sity of species, especially insects, some of them recently discovered. T H E P L A C E 55 T H E P L A C E