PORTUGAL
TRANSBOUNDARY BIOSPHERE RESERVE OF GERÊS/XURÉS.
Year of creation
2009
The Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Gerês-Xurés, established in May 2009, comprises six municipalities in Spain (Bande, Calvos de Randín, Entrimo, Lobeira, Lobios and Muíños) and five in northern Portugal (Montalegre, Terras de Bouro, Ponte da Barca, Arcos de Valdevez and Melgaço). It is part of the Spanish Natural Park Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés and the Portuguese National Park Peneda-Gerês.
One of the greatest attractions of this reserve is its variety of landscapes, where rugged mountains intertwine with softer ones, where granite scenery features prominently, where small rivers and waterfalls flow between the rocks, and where lush forests teem with life.
The human activity, present here for 4000 years, has shaped a landscape dominated by scrublands and woodlands that line the slopes and the valleys. This region is also characterized by its agricultural character, featuring typical elements of the rural mountain countryside, alternating between farmland, meadows and small forests.
Endemism is another element of this reserve, with the noteworthy presence of 23 species of vascular flora that are included on different protection lists at European, national and autonomous region levels. So far, a total of 284 species of vertebrates and 1196 species of invertebrates have been inventoried in the territory.
Contacts
rbiosfera@gmail.com
Parque Natural Baixa Limia-Xurés: parque.natural.xures@xunta.es
Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerê: pnpg@icnf.pt
Links
ICNF, Parque Natural da Peneda Gerês
