FORESTS IN PORTUGAL,    FORESTS IN EUROPE

1.     Nature and landscape protection

The forest is also a source of multiple environmental services essential to society: air renewal, supply of water of quality, fighting desertification and climate change - the Portuguese forest sequesters about 280 million tons of CO₂^[14].

According to the Institute for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (ICNB), protected areas indicate areas where forest conservation is promoted in Portugal. These areas are divided in the following forms:

·         National Park: "protected area that includes one or more ecosystems bearing little man changes. These areas integrate representative natural region and natural humanised landscape samples, geo-morphology sites, flora and fauna species or habitats of ecological, scientific and educational interest. The purpose is to protect the ecological integrity of the ecosystems and avoid intensive exploration of the natural resources. Peneda-Gerês is the only National Park in Portugal and is located in the Northwest part of the country. This Park belongs to the PAN Parks network.

·         Natural Park: "protected area that includes natural, semi-natural and humanised landscapes, of natural interest, representing harmonious integration of human activity with Nature. These Parks integrate samples of a biome or natural region, with the objective of allowing the features of natural and semi-natural landscapes and ecological diversity to be maintained and valued". There are currently 13 Natural Parks.
·         Natural Reserve: "Its purpose is to protect flora and fauna habitats, with the aim of ensuring the natural conditions needed for the stability or survival of the species, biotic communities or physical aspects of the environment, whenever these require human intervention to guarantee their survival". 11 natural reserves are classified.
·         Natural Monument: "natural site that, given its singular nature, rarity or ecological, aesthetic, scientific and cultural representability requires conservation". Currently there are 7 natural monuments.
·         Protected Landscape: "a natural, semi-natural or humanised area that represents harmonious integration of human activity with Nature with the purpose of maintaining and valuing the natural or semi-natural landscape and its ecological diversity. According to legislation currently in force, these protected areas are to be re-classified". There are 7 protected landscapes.

2.     Natura 2000 sites

The Natura 2000 Network is a European ecological network created with the goal of preserving biodiversity by conserving natural habitats, wild flora and fauna in the European Union territory. "It is composed of areas of community importance for the conservation of habitats and species, in which human activities must be compatible with the preservation of the natural values, therefore their management has to take into account the ecological, economical and socially sustainable" (ICNB, 2011).

The Natura 2000 Network is composed of sites classified as Special Protected Areas (SPA), by the Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds, including the migratory species and the habitats where they occur. Sites of Community Importance (SCI) classified according to the Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora which are considered threatened in the EU (ICNB, 2011).

In mainland are classified 39 SPA and 60 Sites of Community Importance. These classified areas cover a total land area of 1.979.519,40 ha, representing approximately 20,5% of the mainland^[15].