NAME OF THE LOCAL AREA
Serra de Nogueira Natura 2000
COUNTRY
Portugal
THEMATIC AREA
Chemistry, Biology, Geology
DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCAL AREA
Serra de Nogueira is a small mountain range reaching 1375 m, part of Natura 2000 site Montesinho/Nogueira, and is located in the municipalities of Bragança, Macedo de Cavaleiros and Vinhais, in northeast Portugal. This area is included in “Terra Fria” (Cold Land). The landscape is characterized by a mosaic of different land uses and habitats, with particular relevance for oak woods. Two main characteristics place high value on this area: the main cover of Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica), the biggest of Portugal for this species, and the mosaic produced between all vegetation types – mountain, Mediterranean and ultramafic areas, giving shape to a especially interesting diversity of plant and animal species, as well as landscape variation.
Besides the Pyrenean oak, other trees are common, like the holm oak (Quercus rotundifolia), chestnut trees (Castanea sativa) and riparian species (Alnus glutinosa, Prunus avium, Sorbus torminalis, Salix spp.). Several other species of plants can also be found, such as shrubs (Erica spp., Cistus ladanifer, Cytisus spp., Lavandula stoechas, Echinospartum ibericum) and endemic and rare species, exclusive of ultramafic rocks (Armeria eriophylla, Anthyllis sampaiana, Santolina semidentata). The PNM is among the most important mountain areas for wildlife at national and European level, since there are several threatened species, most endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Several mammals like the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus), the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), the water-mole (Galemys pyrenaicus), the otter (Lutra Lutra), and bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), and an important number of bird species (Aquila chysaetos, Circus pygargus, Loxia curvirostra), can be discovered and observed, but also species of reptiles (Vipera latastei, Lacerta schreiberi), amphibians (Triturus marmoratus), fish in lower areas (Achondrostoma arcasii, Cobitis calderoni, Squalius alburnoides) and invertebrates, namely rare and unique butterflies (Pseudophilotes panoptes, Lycaena virgaureae, Brenthis daphne), which can be observed in a biodiversity trail already classified, where more than 50% of all diurnal butterflies of Portugal can be found.