Protected areas of Portugal

The protected areas of Portugal include one national park, 13 natural parks, nine natural reserves, seven protected landscapes, five natural monuments, seven classified places and two specially designated areas.

Two extensive areas of Portugal have been designated as Geoparks on account of their outstanding geological heritage. Arouca and Naturtejo are member Geoparks of the European Geoparks Network and the UNESCO Global Network of National Geoparks. Though not statutory designations under Portuguese or European law, membership of these networks affords additional protection to the geological heritage of the areas.^[1]

Several places in Portugal (national parks, natural parks, reserves or protected landscapes) are protected under the European Natura 2000 programme, designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe.

		Peneda-Gerês
Corno do Bico		Montesinho
Lagoa de Bertiandos e São Pedro de Arco		Albufeira de Azibo
Litoral norte		Alvão
Dunas de São Jacinto		Douro Internacional
Paul de Arzila
Montes de Santa Olaia e Ferrestelo		Serra da Estrela
Serras de Aire e Candeeiros		Serra da Malcata
Monte de São Bartolomeu		Serra do Açor
Berlengas		Tejo internacional
Serra de Montejunto		Pegadas de Dinossauros
C. Lapiaz da Granja dos Serrões		Paul do Boquilobo
Granja dos Serrões e Negrais		Serra de São Mamede
		Açude da Agolada
Sintra-Cascais		Centro Histórico de Coruche
Carenque		Açude do Monte da Barca
Arriba Fóssil da C. Caparica		Estuário do Tejo
Pedreira do Avelino		Estuário do Sado
Lagosteiros		Lagoa de St. André e Sancha
Pedra da Mua		Vale do Guadiana
Gruta do Zambujal		Fonte Benémola
Arrábida		S.C.Marim-V.R.S. António
Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina		Ria Formosa
		Rocha da Pena e Fonte Benémola

The national park, Peneda-Gerês National Park is located in the extreme north of Portugal. The park has a wide variety of oak and mixed forests, with rare habitats, groves, peat bogs, and diversebushes. The Golden Eagle, the Eagle Owl, the Honey Buzzard, and the Whinchat are some of the 147 Portuguese birds that can be found in Gerês. Along with the Pine Marten, the Stoat, the Wolf, the brown bear, the wild goat, the adders (Vipera latasteiand Vipera seoanei) and a number of squirrel species.

The Serra da Estrela Natural Park in central Portugal, with its extensive valleys and turf soils, and the Arrábida Natural Park in the Setúbal Peninsulawith its Mediterranean character and the sand varieties of its beaches unveil the ecological variety of Portugal.

The Natural Park of Madeira protects a very rare type of subtropical rainforest (Laurissilva), and has been designated a UNESCO heritage site. In addition to this special area, the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores have several areas designated under protection for species and habitat conservation.

The Tapada Nacional de Mafra is conspicuous, due to its rich flora and fauna. The Tapada was created in the reign of King John V for the royal delight of the monarch, as a hunting preserve. With an area of 8 km² the park included species of stag, boar, fox, rapine birds and several other species. Today, the Tapada is classified as a national hunting zone (Portuguese: Zona de Caça Nacional).

See also

• Forests of the Iberian Peninsula
• Quercus (association)

References

1. ^ http://www.europeangeoparks.org