Национальный парк Пенеда-Жереш: Природа и история Португалии

National park in Portugal

The Peneda Gerês National Park (Parque Nacional da Peneda Gerês, ˈpaɾkɨ nɐsjuˈnal dɐ pɨˈneðɐ ʒɨˈɾeʃ), also known simply as Gerês, is a national park located in northern Portugal. Created in May 1971, it is the oldest protected area and the only national park in Portugal. It covers an area of , occupying the Districts of Viana do Castelo, Braga, and Vila Real and bordering the Spanish Baixa Limia – Serra do Xurés natural park to the north, with which forms the UNESCO biosphere reserve of Gerês Xurés. Peneda Gerês was given its name by its two main granite massifs, the Serra da Peneda and the Serra do Gerês which, with the Serra Amarela and the Serra do Soajo, constitute the park's highest peaks. On the other hand, the precipitous valleys, crossed by high flowing streams, host lush temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of oak and pine, being one of the last strongholds of the typical Atlantic European flora of Portugal, contrasting with an evolving Mediterranean biome. The park is also home to around 220 vertebrate species, some only native to the Iberian Peninsula including the threatened Pyrenean desman, Iberian frog, or gold striped salamander. The area now occupied by the park has had a long human history, reflected by its countless megalithic structures and Roman remains. Presently it is home to around 9,000 people scattered throughout small villages. The aims of the park are to protect the soil, water, flora, fauna, and landscape, while preserving its value to the existent human and natural resources.

Rivas Martinez defined the foothills of both the Serra do Gerês and the Serra da Cabreira (lands below the Tâmega, Ave and Cávado watersheds) as the frontier between the Euro Siberian and Mediterranean regions, granting a significant floral and phytogeographic importance to the National Park.

Biomass coverage of the Serra do Gerês, Serra Amarela, Serra do Peneda and Serra do Soajo, as well as the Mourela and Castro Laboreiro plateaus, are dominated by four distinct biomes: oak forest, shrubbery, marshes and riparian vegetation. There are 627 flora species identified by Serra and Carvalho (1989) as under pressure and considered endangered, which included two medicinal plants: tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum) and sundew (Drosera rotundifolia).]] Many of the studies conducted on the species that inhabitant the park have been concentrated in the area of Matas de Albergaria/Palheiros, traditionally identified as the "heart" of the park. Work by the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Porto and University of Minho have concentrated on a few mammals (Pyrenean desman, European otter, roe deer, and wild boar), reptiles and fish. Meanwhile, other mammals, such as the population of Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus) have collapsed with human encroachment, while the number of exemplars are limited. Worthy of mention are the Garrano (or Minho horse), a breed of small equine species who were ancestors of the Galician pony and Andalusian horse, which mostly live in the wild, but are a gentle breed with no significant fear of humans. This management plan was based on a combination of biodiversity conservation and wilderness protection approaches. The plan was based on an up to date synthesis of all information and literature available about the protected area.

Although there has been variable growth throughout the Norte region, there has been a general population decrease in those administrative units that fell within the Peneda Gerês National Park (1981–1991), in the municipalities of Melgaço ( 16.8%), Arcos de Valdevez ( 13.4%), Ponte da Barca( 6.1%), Terras de Bouro ( 7.2%), and Montalegre ( 20.3%). There was a population of 9,099 according to the 1991 census, a 16% decrease from the 10,849 registered in 1981. There are no positive negative variations between civil parishes; of those civil parishes that fell within the PNPG authority, their populations dropped from 0.8% (Vilar da Veiga) to 38.6% (Sezelhe). These residents are concentrated primarily in various agglomerations: small nuclei separated from each other; an extension of buildings located along roadways; some isolated groups; constructions along agricultural roads in pasturelands; and three or more homes isolated by pastures. Consequently, there are six homogeneous zones:
Castro Laboreiro and Rio Laboreiro Valley consisting of small agglomerations separated by short distances. It was still common practice for the residents of mountain communities to spend part of the year in two locations, primarily near Castro Laboreiro. From about Easter to about Christmas, residents would live in homes above 1,000 m above sea level, known as branda (from the Portuguese brando, meaning mild or gentle). In the remaining part of the year, these inhabitants would occupy homes in the river valley, known as inverneira (from the Portuguese Inverno, meaning winter);
Serras da Peneda and Serras do Soajo small pastoral agglomerations, with different summer and winter residences; They have also documented a new moth species for science in 2015, Isotrias penedana.

The primary economic sector dominates the activities of residents that live within the park's territory. Although agricultural activity remains difficult, it still out paces secondary and tertiary activities which, apart from the Terras de Bouro and Ponte da Barca, have been insignificant. The inaccessibility and diminished exterior investment potential, has concentrated those activities in the region primarily in the exploration of forestry, the support of hydro electrical generation and tourism. Although there are a few larger operations (bread making, construction and saw milling/carpentry) most are small owner operators, that support local consumption or occasional sales. Frequently, artisanal producers have disappeared, and have not been replaced by mass produced or comparable vendors. The BASP is integrated into the Peneda Gerês National Park as it is farming in harmony with nature. Of the 57 GIAHS that existed in the world 2018, only six were designated in Europe. The autochthonous Barrosã cattle with long curved horns, which can grow well over 100 cm in length. The animals graze freely on traditional pastures and marshes in conditions that are ideal for their welfare. The cattle enjoy a purity of nature that is characteristic of these places, contributing greatly to the preservation and biodiversity of the landscape as well as to the rural economic sustainability. Barrosã cattle have been extensively studied because of their ancient genetic heritage.

The park tries to simultaneously encourage and control tourism, since the park's nature would not resist a massive flow of tourists. Accordingly, there are six small camping sites and several hikingtrails are marked, making it relatively easy to find many of the most interesting spots, such as the castros at Castro Laboreiro and Calcedónia and the monastery at Pitões das Júnias. The trail at Mézio as a particular concern in describing some of the local features. Locations near the few major roads are the most visited. Many of them are related to the religiousness of the people in northern Portugal namely the shrines at Senhora da Peneda and São Bento da Porta Aberta. Others, such as Soajo and Lindoso, display small, traditional granaries built of granite, the espigueiros (from the Portuguese espiga, meaning spike/ear)). Soajo is a typical Portuguese village, located on one of the slopes of Peneda Mountains. The 24 espigueiros were erected on a granite slab and are still used today for drying corn. Some of the two most known and visited features are the many waterfalls, including the one near the old frontier station at Portela do Homem, and the Vilarinho das Furnas village, whenever the Vilarinho das Furnas Dam is low enough, and the cascades along the Arado river. The domestic animals also deserve being noted. The autochthonous Barrosã and the smaller Cachena cattle, used in agriculture, is nowadays endangered because it is losing its utility; as is also the Castro Laboreiro dog, a hunting dog.