Get to know the Habitat
Zambujo reCover: ecological restoration in the International Tagus Natural Park
Increasing the environmental value of the natural and semi-natural forest habitats of Zambujo, a Navigator property located in Idanha-a-Nova, in the heart of the International Tagus Natural Park, is the aim of the Zambujo reCover initiative, which will undertake the ecological restoration of an area equivalent to about 150 football pitches.
Old chestnut trees are a haven for biodiversity
At the end of October, the spiky cupules of chestnut trees (Castanea sativa), which resemble small hedgehogs, have already begun to fall. Inside them, the much sought-after chestnuts can be found. This is the case in the mountainous regions of Portugal, especially in the central and northern parts of the country, where the old chestnut trees provide shelter for dozens of species, including rare plants, birds of prey, and highly prized mushrooms.
Juniper Forests
When we speak of juniper forests in mainland Portugal, we are referring to the groves and scrubland where various trees and bushes of the Juniperus genus can be seen. These species are able to grow on rocky cliffs and in sandy and stony soils, where many others are unable to survive.
Pine forest
The chaotic sea of dunes, which was progressively encroaching on the farmland, was contained and sown with pine. On the high waves of sand, the green foam of the scrub was born and the pine trees, dark and rough, sank their roots”, wrote Jaime Cortesão (1884-1960), in “Portugal, Land and Man”, describing one of the biggest ever reforestation campaigns, to which the Portuguese coastline owes its pine wood habitat.
