Hayedo De Montejo
The research site
The TreeWatch site at Hayedo de Montejo is located in one of the southernmost European beech forests, in the Sierra de Ayllón (Central Spain), about 100 km north of Madrid. The forest covers around 250 hectares and is part of the Sierra del Rincón Biosphere Reserve and the UNESCO World Heritage network of European beech forests. The forest is a mixed deciduous stand dominated by European beech (Fagus sylvatica), together with oak species (Quercus pyrenaica and Q. petraea) and other associated temperate forest flora. Its persistence at this southern latitude is linked to local topography and microclimate, with shaded slopes, relatively high humidity and cold conditions that allow beech to survive in an otherwise Mediterranean region. The site hosts very high biodiversity, with hundreds of plant species and a large diversity of vertebrates and invertebrates, making it an important reference site for ecological and physiological forest research.
Beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Oak (Quercus petraea)
TreeWatch loggers have been operating in this forest since 2023. Currently, there are six trees, three beeches (Fagus sylvatica) and three oaks (Quercus petraea), equipped with modules, located near the research tower installed in the 1990s for long-term forest monitoring purposes.