Montesinho natural park in Portugal

1. Comenius Meeting DROPS of Nature
León, Spain 20-25 October 2014

2. MONTESINHO NATURAL PARK

3. SOME INFORMATION
 Located in the Northeast of the country in the municipalities of Bragança
and Vinhais
 Created in 1979
 One of the largest protected areas in Portugal.
 Symbol: chestnut flower

4.  Area: 75 000 hectares, includes about 9000 inhabitants spread over 92
villages.
 Succession of hills and valleys deeply embedded, with altitudes ranging
from 438 to 1481mt where villages, nestled in sheltered and discrete
points, may be easily unnoticed by the casual visitor .

5. FLORA
 Very varied due to geographical location and great geological and climate
variability of northern Portugal.
 Higher areas: species of Atlantic climate regions such as heather (Erica cinerea)
and grass (Agrostis curtisii).
 Lower areas: typically Mediterranean vegetation with plants like the spurge flax
(Daphne gnidium), the gum rock rose (Cistus lanadifer), the sage-leaved rock rose
(Cistus salviifolius) and the butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus).
Heather Grass Spurge flax Gum rock rose Butcher's broom

6.  Species like violets (Viola parvula and bubanii), the American
speedwell (veronica americana) and the hedge woundwort (stachys
sylvatica) can easily be found near rivers like Tuela, Sabor, Rabaçal,
etc.
Violet American speedwell Hedge woundwort

7.  Daffodils and orchids also prevalent
Daffodils Orchids

8.  Most common trees: chestnut trees, pine trees, oak trees and birches.
Oak trees
Chestnut trees
Pine trees
Birches

9. FAUNA
 Very rich and diversified, hosts around 250 species of vertebrates and many
invertebrates.
 70 mammal species, more than 160 bird species, exclusive and rare butterflies
and fish, preserved species or species in risk of extinction, like the Iberian wolf
or the golden-eagle, can be spotted in the Park.
Buck Otter
Rabbit Boar

10. Deer Iberian-lynx
Iberian-wolf
Hare
Rock blackbird
Golden-Eagle

11.  Exclusive and rare butterflies in the Park
Lycaena virgaureae Brenthis Daphne Boloria Dia Aphantopus hyperantum

12. The students:
Fernando Madureira
Maria Inês Santos
Agrupamento de Escolas Miguel Torga
Bragança
Portugal