Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park

The 1988 furnished, around 75,000 hectares in natural Parque Natural do Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina located in the southwest of Portugal. It extends along the Atlantic coast, the Costa Vicentina over a length of 80 km between Porto Covo in the Alentejo Litoral and Burgau, west of Lagos in the Algarve, and he continues in the Alentejo to Sines.

The park includes several unique habitats and is visited by zoologists and botanists from all over the world. Birds such as ospreys and white storks build their nests in the rocks of the coast. The otter here has one of its last natural, marine habitats in Europe. The flora includes a large number of endemic species, including the Brillenschötchen Biscutella vicentina or rare plantain Plantago Almogravensis.

Area

The Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa of Vice Tina comprises the southwestern coast of Portugal, south of the Alentejo coast and the western Algarve to the Cabo de São Vicente. It covers the following areas Verbandsgemeinden:

• Sines
• Odemira
• Aljezur
• Vila do Bispo

In addition, away to the shores and the underwater zone to two kilometers from the coast, the park includes the valley of the River Mira from its mouth to the city Odemira.

In the park there are several types of landscapes with natural and semi-natural habitats such as rocks with steep and rugged cuts, beaches, numerous small islands and reefs ( including the island Pessegueiro and an unusual coral reef at Carrapateira ), the estuary of the Mira, Cape Sardão, the promontory of Sagres and Cabo de São Vicente, dunes, marshes, swamps, salt marshes, some lagoons, canyons ( valleys with dense vegetation ). The highest elevation is 324 m in the interior, specifically in São Domingos, Odemira ) and 156 m on the coast at Torre de Aspa, Purple do Bispo. The deepest part has 32 ​​m and is located 2 km before Carrapateira ( Aljezur ).

Climate

The climate is Mediterranean, with a strong Atlantic influence. Winters are temperate and the summers cool.

The wind is an important factor in the climate of the region. The prevailing winds come from the north and northwest. Winds from the southwest are determinative of Sagres and Vila do Bispo in January and February. In the summer, the winds often bring high humidity.

Temperatures are rising from north to south; the annual averages are 15 ° C in Monte Velho and Sines and 16 ° C in Vila do Bispo and Sagres. The area of the promontory of Sagres has the lowest temperature variation on the Portuguese mainland.

The greatest rainfall occurs in December, the annual average of 400 mm in the region of Sagres and 700 mm in the area north of Odeceixe. Usually it rains more in the north and inland.

Flora

The flora of the nature reserve is divided into three types of geomorphic environments in the western zone between the coast and the mountains, on the plateau of southern Vicentino with vegetation typical of calcareous soils, a dry and hot area; the coastal plateau, with varied vegetation, dunes, heathland and wetlands; it is a fresh and moist area; Coastal mountains and canyons, with thick trees and shrubs typical of humid river basins.

Throughout the park there is a mix of Mediterranean, North Atlantic, and preferably of African vegetation. There you will find about 750 species, of which more than 100 are endemic, rare or only locally occur; 12 of them have nowhere else in the world. The park has endangered species in Portugal, as well as several protected species in Europe.

Among the endemic species include, for example, plants such as Brillenschötchen ( Biscutella vicentina ), Blue Star (Scilla vicentina ), Knapweed (Centaurea vicentina ), double seed ( Diplotaxis vicentina ), bluebells ( Hyacinthoides vicentina ), cistus (Cistus palhinhae ), plantain ( Plantago Almogravensis ). Other species are considered rare as the Myrica ( Myrica faya ), rowan (Sorbus domestica) or Silene. However, the agricultural activity has already caused the extinction of plants like thrift ( Armeria arcuata ).

The tree species in the park are divided into natural and planted stock. Among the former, there are oaks, such as Quercus suber and Quercus faginea that occur primarily in the canyons. The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) is also characteristic of this area.

Be Planted primarily for economic reasons pines ( Pinus pinaster ) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus).

Fauna

60% of reptiles and 65% of amphibian species are represented Portugal in the area of ​​the park. About 200 species of birds in the park are known to include ospreys and white stork. It is the only place worldwide, nesting at the storks in the cliffs by the sea.

The otter here has one of its last natural, marine habitats in Europe.

Conflicts

The more strongly industrializing agriculture, which produces increasing particularly fodder and corn, comes often in conflict with the conservation, if only because their need for artificial irrigation is very high. 2003, a study came to the result that all respondents the importance of agriculture in the region, but also the biodiversity recognized. However, 78 % of respondents were apparently only partly about the biodiversity knowledge. 61% expressed a preference for environmentally friendly agriculture from 22 % contrast for ajar to industry perceptions of the agricultural economy. All respondents supported the integration of conservation and production efforts and supported the participation of all communities living in and around the park residents.

In recent years, wind turbines have been installed in the south, met with many residents of the Algarve resistance. A project in Tavira was abandoned in early 2010.