The headwaters of the Vinaixa torrent, included in this area, are characterized by a series of gullies oriented from south to north, which carry the waters to the torrent of Vinaixa. Separating the valleys are some uplands a little over 650 metres high.
The torrent of Vinaixa, also called the Espariguera torrent, is born under the Hospital hill in Tarrés. It passes through the northern part of village of Vinaixa and traces a path north west (passing near the hermitage of Sant Bonifaci and La Floresta) until at the northern tip of Les Borges Blanques it meets the Trull torrent, which comes from L'Espluga Calba and the ubacs of the Tallat mountain range, and together they form the Femosa torrent, a tributary on the left side of the river Segre.
The area's vegetation is dominated by a mosaic of masses of Aleppo pine forests, kermes oak thickets combined with agricultural areas that cultivate olives, almonds, grapes and cereals.
In these landscapes, we must highlight the large amount of folk architecture: stone cabins, wells, drystone walls - above all the Blanco or Bessó drystone wall which is possibly the most spectacular in Catalonia -, lime kilns, etc.
Also worth noting is the numerous fountains present in the space, which have paved margins and ponds and banks where you can rest and enjoy the environment, such as Fontfreda, in Tarrés; the Marieta and Ventoses fountains, in Fulleda, and the fountains of least flow of water include the Sivines, the Macot and the Quadrat, in Vinaixa.
FLORA AND VEGETATION
The vegetation is dominated by masses of Aleppo pine forests and, to a lesser extent, kermes oak thickets, combined with agricultural areas where olive trees and almond trees are cultivated, with some clearings for cereals.
In the forests of the shadier slopes of this area we find Aleppo pine, holm oak, Valencian oak, strawberry tree and even Scots pine.
WILDLIFE
Mammals are represented by insectivores: the North African hedgehog, the European hedgehog, the greater white-toothed shrew; rodents: the garden dormouse, the field mouse, the brown rat, the western Mediterranean mouse, the Mediterranean pine vole, and the squirrel.
The types of mustelidae that are resident in the area include: the weasel, the beech marten and the ferret. There is abundance of wild boars and, to a lesser extent, roe deer and the fox. There are also rabbits and some examples of hare.
In terms of reptiles, the ocellated lizard is very common.
BIRDS (ORNITHOLOGY)
The Vinaixa Valley is a scattering area for young Bonelli's eagle individuals, from the Catalan pre-coastal and coastal mountain ranges as well as from other areas of the Mediterranean and Iberian Peninsula, and southern France, where it nests in scarps and cliffs.
At the end of summer, the young leave their birthplace and take up an independent life for two or three years, until finally they end up settling in their own territory and find a mate. This initial period of life of eagles is called dispersal.
Other birds of prey such as the short-toed snake eagle, the golden eagle, the booted eagle, the common kestrel and the Eurasian eagle-owl also inhabit the area.
There also birds such as the stone-curlew, the European nightjar, the greater short-toed lark, the Thekla's lark, the woodlark, the tawny pipit, the black wheatear, the dartford warbler and the ortolan bunting.
