To know

Territory

The Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. Its objectives are to safeguard biodiversities through the conservation of biotopes, and wild fauna and flora. In the Viana do Castelo region, the Natura 2000 network includes coastal areas (Sitio Litoral Norte), estuarian areas (Sitio Rio Lima), riverside or streamside areas (Sitio Rio Lima) and mountain areas (Sitio Serra de Arga).

A Natural Monument is a natural or natural/cultural feature with one or more unique or outstanding value which due to its inherent rarity, representativeness or uniqueness in ecological, aesthetic, scientific and cultural terms is set aside to protect and maintain their integrity. Five Local Natural Monuments have been identified and classified in Viana do Castelo (Alcantilado de Montedor (Montedor Promontory/Cliff), Pedras Ruivas, Canto Marinho (both with rock art), Ribeira de Anha and Insuas do Lima (small islands)).

For more information on the conservation of nature and biodiversities visit The Institute for Nature Conservation and Forest/ICNF at www.icnf.pt

 

LOCAL NATURAL MONUMENTS

An inventory of geosites along the coastline of Viana do Castelo revealed that the area is rich in geodiversity conserving elements of great interest, especially geomorphological features, namely residual, granite, tectonic, fluvial, aeolian and geocultural geoforms. The quantitative assessment that was completed revealed that of the 17 identified geosites, 5 present exceptional scientific value, with great potential for educational use and for tourism, with average or high vulnerability.

 

For more information please visit the Viana do Castelo city council’s website or the official website for the Geoparque Litoral de Viana do Castelo (Viana do Castelo Coast Geopark).