Peneda Gerês National Park - I

Natural Treasures of Europe
Direção Regional de Educação do Norte
Escola Secundária c/ 3.º Ciclo D. Maria II
Código 401341

PENEDA-GERÊS NATIONAL
PARK (PNPG)


Location

 Northewest of Portugal.
 Area – around 70000 hectares.
 It includes Peneda, Soajo,
Amarela, and Gerês Mountains.


Location
 Created in 1971.
 It is the only protected area
in Portugal with the statute
of National Park.

 It continues into the Spanish
National Park and, together, they
form the International Gerês/Xurés
Park.


Geology
 Granite is the dominant rock.
 Resulting from erosion, curiously shaped outcroppings can be observed.


Geology
 Calcedonia Fracture – Entering into the base of the rocky outcropping,
it is possible to climb to its top through an interior fracture.

Calcedonia knoll Entrance of
(999m) the
fracture


Geology
 Brooks and rivers meandering through the park, contributing to its
abundant flora and fauna.


Geology


Flora
 The diversity of conditions existing in the PGNP, namely the
surface, altitude and climate (Atlantic, Mediterranean and
Continental), make life possible for Mediterranean, subtropical,
Euro-Siberian and alpine species.
 The lower areas (to 900 m), influenced by the Atlantic climate,
are dominated by the English oak (quercus robur).


Flora
 Next to the English oak, holly, the
strawberry tree, the laurel
cherry, and the butcher’s broom
can also be seen.

strawberry tree
(Arbutus unedo)

holly
(Ilex aquifolium)

butcher’s broom
(Ruscus aculeatus)
laurel cherry
(Prunus lusitanica)


Flora
 Above 1400 m, the soil is mostly covered with
scrub brush: heather, gorse, broom, and furze,
associated with juniper, which is an Alpine species

bushes

juniper gorse
(Juniperus communis) (Chamaespartium
tridendantum)

broom
(Cytisus sp.)

furze
(Ulex sp.) heather
(Erica sp.)


Flora
 In the more inclined and warmer
areas, with climate of
Mediterranean influence, there
are cork oak groves.

cork oak
(Quercus suber)


Flora – English oak
 The English oak (Quercus robur) is the
most abundant aboriginal tree in the
PNPG.
 It supports an immense biodiversity:
• fungi, lichens, moss, and English ivy;

• insects that live in and feed from oak trees;
• wasps that sting them originating the gallnuts;
• squirrels and jays that survive on their acorns;
• birds that nest on their branches;
• other species feed on the insects existing on oak trees or from the dead
leaves on the soil.


Fauna
 The diversity and abundance of vegetal species support an equally diverse and
abundant fauna.

 Besides an enormous number of invertebrate species, around 235 vertebrate
ones inhabit the PNPG.

 Among the mammal species that roam
these mountains, the Gerês goat
stands out (Capra pyrenaica )…

Gerês goat


Fauna
…the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus
signatus ), the roe deer (Capreolus
capreolus),the sturdy pony (Equus
caballus) , the red squirrel (Sciurus
vulgaris), the wild boar (Sus scrofa
castillianus) and the otter (Lutra
lutra).
sturdy pony Iberian wolf

red squirrel

deer


Fauna
 As far as birds, besides the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetus), the Eurasian
eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), the European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), and
the red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), can still be seen.

e. honey buzzard
golden eagle

Eurasian
eagle-owl

red-billed chough


Fauna
 Regarding reptiles and amphibians, the seoanei’s viper (Vipera seoanei), the
snud-nosed viper (Vipera latasti), the Iberian emerald lizard (Lacerta
schereiberi), the Iberian frog (Rana iberica), the water snake (Natrix
natrix) and the gold-striped salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica), are also here.

Iberian emerald
lizard

Iberian
frog

snud-nosed viper seoanei’s viper


Mushrooms
 High humidity and vegetal
diversity, allow a big quantity
and diversity of mushrooms.


Occupation by men
 Megalithic tombs indicate the presence of prehistoric societies .
 The Megalithic Nucleus of Mezio includes ten mounds, some of which dating
back 5000 years.

 Mounds – artificial hills of earth and
small stones that cover up prehistoric
funeral monuments – dolmens.

dolmen
mound


Occupation by men
 Roman Geira - a Roman road (1st C. a.d.)
that connected Bracara Augusta (Braga) to
Asturica Augusta (Astorga, Spain).
 The road was marked with a milestone every
1418 metres.

milestone

 Several groups of milestones can
be seen along the Roman Geira.


Occupation by men

 Castro Laboreiro Castle  Santa Maria de Pitões das
Júnias Monastery
 It was probably built in the
11th C. and rebuilt in the  12th C.
14th.


Occupation by men

 Lindoso Castle  Soajo Granaries

 It was probably built in the  24 granaries built on a granite
13th C. and rebuilt in the outcropping, which is used as a
17th C. communitarian threshing floor.
 The oldest dates back to 1782.


Occupation by men
 In the 20th Century several
hydroelectric dams were built.

Caniçada dam

 The construction of Vilarinho
das Furnas dam submerged a
whole communitarian village with
the same name.


Trails
 In the PNPG there are several pedestrian trails, which are well marked and
identified.

Right way Wrong way

Turn left Turn right
 Mariola – used to signal
paths and to show
strollers and shepherds
the right way.


Trails

Trail for 22nd
Lunch on 22nd
Trail for 23rd


Trails

Trail for the 22nd – Arado Falls and
Albergaria woods

Lunch on the 22nd – Vila do Gerês

Sleeping on the 22nd – Vilarinho das
Furnas Youth Hostel

Trail for the 23rd – Águia do Sarilhão


Vilarinho das Furnas
Ethnographic museum
 It was built in 1972 with stones
brought from the submerged
village of Vilarinho das Furnas.

 It displays a permanent exhibition
of the typical tools and
instruments that show the life and
culture of Vilarinho das Furnas.


Águia do Sarilhão trail

 Trail of particular
interest for historical and
cultural aspects.
 Trail length - 9 Km.

Águia do Sarilhão Trail


 It starts at the Ethnographic Museum,
continues through a rural village and then
it enters the woods.
 Alongside the trail there are scrub brush
areas as well as willow trees, strawberry
trees and English oak, closer to the river
banks.
 English oaks, birches, willows, strawberry
trees and butcher's brooms are dominant
in this part of the Park.
 The Sarilhão crag, where the golden eagle
used to nest, can be observed from this
trail.


The trail begins at a
steep path leading
to the Roman
Geira .


 At Geira we can see a group of milestones.

 The trail continues along the left bank of the
Vilarinho das Furnas dam.


 Arriving at the village Campo do Gerês, we
will observe several elements of the
traditional architecture.

 At the end of the trail we will cross
the Eixões Medieval Bridge, on the
Rodas brook.


Based on publications by the Peneda-Gerês National Park
Presented by the pupils of classes 10th C e 11thC in the opening session of the mobility to Braga.
Coordinating teachers: Margarida Teixeira and Arminda Loureiro

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors.
The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained herein.


REPORT

Introduction

This report was done within the works related to the Comenius Project, NaTurE –
Natural Treasures of Europe, which includes eleven European countries.

During the 2nd school term and within the objectives of the project, several activities have
been done, namely field work and sports and cultural activities.

Field trip to the Peneda/Gerês National Park, on February 17th 2012.

On February 17th, the Biology and Geology teachers, together with their pupils
from classes 10th C, 11th B, 11th C, and 11th E (approximately 100 pupils) and ten more
teachers, went on a field trip do the Peneda/Gerês National Park.

This Biology and Geology field trip to the Peneda/Gerês National Park was
preceded by a theoretical class.



The teacher gave the students a worksheet (see teaching materials) to help them in
their investigation, as well as a dichotomous key for the classification of the living beings they
would observe. For a more detailed investigation, each class was divided into groups of 5/6
pupils, whose task was the investigation of a particular group of living beings: trees, bushes,
scrub, vertebrates, invertebrates, fungi, and lichens. The field trip occurred in two different
ecosystems - Arado Fall and Albergaria Wood – and the objective was the characterization and
comparison of their biodiversity.

In order to cause minimal damage to the ecosystems, it was previously decided to
form two big groups, which would alternately visit the two ecosystems. So that they could
gather all the possible information, the students were asked to take bags to save the collected
samples, a notebook, a camera (one per group), dichotomous keys and the worksheet they
would have to fill in.



Several plants, with various sizes, and several types of lichens and fungi were
observed; the observation of a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates was not possible. It is
relevant to mention that several types of rocks were observed, predominantly granite.

The Arado Fall Trail, with beautiful views, mostly granitic and of great geological
importance, it is not, however, very rich in biological biodiversity, due to adverse abiotic
conditions.

On the other hand, the Albergaria Wood is a place of enormous biological
importance. A great biological diversity can be observed. The abiotic conditions (high humidity
and a milder climate) are the causes for the biodiversity of this ecosystem.

Since lichens cannot survive in polluted environments, and due to the abundance of
these beings in the two ecosystems studied, we can conclude that they are pollution free.

At the end of the field trip, the good moments we spent together (teachers and
pupils), in such beautiful scenery, and the physical exercise, made us realise the importance of
physical activity for our mental and physical health.



In the next Biology and Geology classroom practice, we wrote a report on the field
trip activity, which included the comparison between the two ecosystems, Albergaria wood and
Arado Fall, considering the abiotic and biotic aspects and their relationship with the biodiversity
of each ecosystem. The report included several items, namely: a theoretical introduction
(concerning the characterization of the Peneda/Gerês National Park), objectives, methodology,
results, discussion of the results, conclusion, and bibliography.

With this field trip we were able to acquire an even greater respect for the Park; we
observed all its beauty, learned how to love it and, consequently, felt the need to protect and
preserve it. It made us realise, not only the imperative need to preserve all the ecosystems
around us, but also the need, through our daily actions, to preserve Nature, which we entirely
depend on.



Reception and integration of the European teachers and pupils

The stay in Braga, the overnight stay and the field trip to Gerês were very carefully
planned, so that our partners in the Comenius Project, NaTurE – Natural Treasures of Europe,
could have the possibility to learn, not only the biodiversity and geology of the Park, but also the
possibility to learn some of our historical and cultural heritage.

On March 21st, some sports activities – DonaSport- took place, aiming at the
integration of the European pupils in our school community. There was a “Peddy-paper”
through Braga and several games in the school Gym. Knowing that Sports can create ties among
cultures, through these activities, the pupils were able to feel closer and integrated in a shorter
period of time, which was the main objective of these activities.



As we wanted to present the Peneda/Gerês National Park to our guests, we
produced a PowerPoint with all the collected data, regarding the Park’s location, geology,
hydrology, fauna, flora, presence of Man since prehistoric times and, in particular, Albergaria
Wood, Arado Fall, and Águia do Sarilhão Trails. The students that presented the PowerPoint on
March 21st, worked on it during the week before, under the supervision of the Biology/Geology
and English teachers.

This PowerPoint helped everyone to get a glimpse and have an idea of the places
they would be visiting on the 22nd and 23rd March; on the other hand, we intended to show to
our Comenius partners as well as all Portuguese people present, the reasons why the Park has
got the status of National Park.

Preparing the PowerPoint was a very exhausting task but, at the same time, a very
rewarding one, since all people present seemed to have enjoyed watching it.



Field trip to Peneda/Gerês National Park, on March 22nd and 23rd
On March 22nd, together with all our Comenius partners - teachers and students –,
we went on a field trip to the Peneda/Gerês National Park, similar to the one we had done
before, to study the biodiversity in Albergaria Wood and Arado Fall, which have different abiotic
conditions.
We spent the night at the Vilarinho das Furnas Youth Hostel. We had lots of fun
there, talking with our foreign colleagues, exchanging ideas and making new friends.
On March 23rd we visit the Vilarinho das Furnas Ethnographic Museum, where we
could see their permanent exhibition, which depicts scenes and peculiar objects that show the
culture and way of living of the old, communitarian Vilarinho das Furnas village, submerged
after the construction of the Vilarinho das Furnas Dam.
After the visit to the museum, we started the 9-kilometer Águia do Sarilhão Trail,
which has a particular historical and cultural interest. Alongside this trail, besides watching the
biological diversity, we could observe a monumental granitic outcropping, the Sarilhão Crag,
where, formerly, the golden eagle used to nest. Farther ahead, we walked on a section of the
Roman road (Geira), where some milestones can still be seen, next to the beautiful scenery of
the Vilarinho das Furnas Dam. In the village of Campo do Gerês we could admire several
elements of the traditional architecture, namely rural dwellings, granaries and a medieval
bridge.



Conclusion

The field trip to the Peneda/Gerês National Park was of great interest in the Biology
and Geology areas as well as culturally and socially; we certainly have become better human
beings, better prepared and motivated to protect Nature.
Scientifically, the field trip was very important. However, the most important part of
it was the exchange of experiences. Spending time with people of the same age, from different
countries is, indeed, very enriching. Not only do we get to know different people but also the
society and ways of living in their countries. The contact with the outside world is, at our age,
very important, in order for us to become more tolerant individuals.
The use of the English language was also very important; sometimes it wasn’t easy
but we were always able to communicate. Communication is always possible, as long as we want
to, whether we use gestures, words, art, etc.
Communication and the capacity to deal with people from other cultures are very
important to improve the kind of people we are now and the kind of people we want to be in
the future.
Therefore, this exchange has made us better citizens, since interacting with people
from other cultures broadens our minds, concerning other ways of living, and increases our
respect for them.
Having all these aspects in mind, this mobility was a success for all of us, partners in
this Comenius Project



Based on the reports presented by the following pupils:
• André, Bruno, Isac Pinhão, Joana, Sara Almeida e João Ricardo Martins – 10th C Class
• Ana Domingues e Joana Marques – 11th C Class

Coordinating teachers: Margarida Teixeira and Arminda Loureiro


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