Parque Natural da Ria Formosa

The original mediterranean woodland disappeared long ago from Portugal and all the countries of the region, due to millenniums of intense human occupation. Agriculture, grazing, fires and introduction of exotic species were the main agents of that change.

Instead of the native evergreen sclerophyllous species such as holm-oak, cork-oak, olive tree, and carob tree, we can find umbrella pine and the maritime pine. These two species dominate the coastal landscape on the south of Portugal. They are planted in coastal areas, with the aim of stabilizing the sands, because they can thrive exposed to strong winds and salt spray and on soils poor in nutrients and with reduced water retention capacity.

Under the pine trees we can find shrub and herbs characteristic of mediterranean ecosystems, such as furze Ulex argenteus or Stauracanthus boivinii, rosmarin  and lavander.

Among the animals that can be seen in this pine wood we can point out the turtle dove Streptopelia turtur, the blackbird Turdus merula and the chameleon Chamaeleo chamaeleon