Exotic Nature Reserves in Madeira

Sitting in the northern Atlantic Ocean the Madeira Islands is a Macaronesian archipelago that has been included in the UNESCO list of World Natural Heritage sites.

Macaronesia refers to the bio-geographical region off the coasts of Europe and Africa and includes five archipelagoes, three of which belong to Portugal. The term ‘macaronesia’ comes from Greek and means ‘fortunate islands’ and the exotic nature reserves in Madeira are enough proof of the aptness of the name. The combination of Mediterranean and tropical climates combined with the ocean creates the ideal environment for some stunning bio-diversity. As a result Madeira and its islands are a hot destination for Eco-tourism the whole year round. To preserve this primitive nature in its original form the Madeira Islands declared five of its regions to be Natural Reserves: the Nature Reserves of the islands of Desertas and Selvagens, the Ponta de São Lourenço, Garajau Reserves and the Reserve of Rocha do Navio.

Madeira Flora

Much of the forest land in Madeira dates back to the Tertiary Era which makes it the only region in the world to still have extant samples of the ancient forest that, pre-Ice Age, covered most of the European continent. Madeira’s single greatest tourist attraction is the Laurissilva Forest. Considered a living relic, the Laurissilva forest spreads out over fifteen thousand hectares. Home to gigantic trees like the Til (scientific name-Ocotea foetens) and Laurel Tree (Laurus azorica) and minuscule mosses the forest displays a diverse plethora of plant life. Its extraordinary mosaic of plants and flowers offers the tourist the chance to see rare trees like the Brazilian Mahogany and flowers like Birds of Paradise, Azaleas and Anthuriums.

Situated up to thirteen hundred meters above sea level at its highest point to only three hundred meters above sea level at its lowest on the coastal strip of the island, the trees of the Laurissilva forest play an important role in soil conservation. Because of all these reasons the forest has been deemed a Total Preservation Area. Several parks and gardens add to the natural beauty of the region. The Ponta de São Lourenço is one of the last places in the world where Mother Nature has been the sole decorator. The arid climates of the eastern peninsula allows for little more than thistles and Agave plants and yet these flowering bushes combined with the varying colors of the volcanic rocks make this a precious natural landscape.

Madeira Fauna

Rare birds like the long toed pigeon, the Madeira Freira petrel and the Zino’s petrel can be seen in the Laurissilva forest. The stony Desertas Islands have been declared a Nature Reserve for the colony of Monk Seals that inhabit its beaches. The Reserve of Rocha do Navio is a great place to see some great marine fauna. The Selvagens islands offer the perfect nesting environment for several species of marine birds.

The exotic nature reserves in Madeira are not just natural reserves but a bio-cultural heritage that must be preserved for all humanity, present and future.

Photo of flowers in Madeira, Portugal, by Paul-W

Topic:  General Travel | 0 Comments
Tags:  green travel, Portugal

About the author

Grace lives in India. She loves to travel, not as a tourist, but to soak in the secrets of the nooks and crannies of this amazing planet. She also loves words, expressed through the medium of writing. She firmly believes that a well crafted piece of writing can accomplish ANYTHING!