With bunched flowers that usually bloom after March, the Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) is an ornamental deciduous tree that can reach eight meters in height. However, what arouses curiosity in this tree is its name, also known as the tree of love for its heart-shaped leaf. At Quinta de São Francisco, which is part of The Navigator Company’s heritage, Judas trees are included in the more than 450 species of flora making this place a unique natural refuge in Portugal.
Navigator Forests: maintaining and enhancing natural values
The forests managed by The Navigator Company total around 105,000 hectares in Portugal (a country where forest areas exceed 3 million hectares). In these forests, more than 240 species of fauna and 800 species and subspecies of flora have already been identified (end of 2021). Here, biodiversity management cuts across field operations to maintain and enhance their natural values.