Wetlands - Northern Portugal

The Ramsar Secretariat has designated 17 sites in Portugal as Wetlands of International importance, the most recent announced on 2 December 2005 is only one hours drive from our Bed & Breakfast accommodation. This site is of outstanding beauty and importance

Wetlands capture and retain rainfall, and prevent valuable sediments from being washed into lakes and rivers. They add moisture to the atmosphere, which falls as rain and cools the environment. Despite their value to humanity, half the world's wetlands have been lost, with most of the destruction taking place over the past 50 years. Since these areas harbour a wealth of wildlife, their loss has contributed directly to the erosion of biodiversity and species loss.

Bertiandos and S. Pedro of Arcos Lagoons. 02/12/05; Região Norte; 346 ha; 41°45'N 008°39'W. Natura 2000, Protected Landscape, partly National Ecological Reserve. A complex of permanent and temporary freshwater lakes on the right bank of the Lima River, hosting a broad range of 500 inventoried floristic and many fauna species. It is an important habitat for aquatic bird species for breeding, resting and migrating species, supporting amongst others Gallinula choropus, Alcedo athis and Ardea purpurea or Caprimulgus europaeus. It also supports two migrating fish species, Anguilla anguilla and Petromyzom marinus, that use the Estorãos River during the larval age and as an ecological corridor for the spawning sites located upstream. The strong relations between the area and the local population are part its cultural value, together with environmental education, leisure activities and outdoor recreation. Some of these activities may affect the ecological features, especially the agricultural developments of corn and rye-grass succession, with increasing abandonment of the pastures areas, and the intensification of agricultural production, including the spread of exotic species plantation (Eucalyptus globulus). Further impacts on the species composition and spread of some exotic species are caused by frequent forest fires and the cleaning of drainage trenches in the flooded space. Ramsar site no. 1613.