| COUNTRY Portugal
NAME Floresta Laurissilva da Madeira - Forêt
Laurifère de Madère
IUCN MANAGEMENT CATEGORY
Category
World Heritage Site: Criteria i, ii, iii, iv
BIOGEOGRAPHICAL PROVINCE 2.40.13 Macronesian Islands
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION Located in Madeira region
(the Atlantic archipelago of Madeira is an integral part of the Republic
of Portugal). 32°46N/17°03W.
DATE AND HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT The nominated
forest has a status of Strict Nature Reserve, and is part of Madeira Nature
Park, crated by Decree No 12/82/M of October 1982 and under protection
by Decree No 13/93/M. These two decrees provide for the administration
and management of the Park. Another decree, Decree No 21/89/M provides
for the protection and surveillance of the Park by the Regional Direction
of Forests. Inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1999.
AREA The Laurissilva Forest covers 15,000ha. Its
buffer zone, also part of Madeira Nature Park, covers 12,000ha.
LAND TENURE Most of the land belongs to the regional
Government of Madeira. State (7%), Community land (90%), Private land
(3%).
ALTITUDE The forest is between 600m and 1300m
altitude.
PHYSICAL FEATURES Madeira archipelago is composed
with four main islands, volcanic in origin. It lies 600km from Africa
(Morocco). The slopes rise steeply to a maximum volcanic peak of 1,862m
high on Madeira. Thee Laurissilva forest, crossed by many rivers streams
and waterfalls occupies 20% of Madeira Island on the abrupt hills and
sides of mountains in the north.
CLIMATE No detailed information. The north is
more cooler and humid than the south, due to North-eastern winds., giving
typical cloud cover.
VEGETATION Most of Madeira was forested when it
was discovered in 1419. At present, human habitation is most dense around
the south coast, where the slopes are cultivated up to 1,200m. To the
north of the island there remain large tracts of the original Macronesian
laurel Laurus forest, composed mainly with trees of Lauraceae family and
some forms of ferns from the Miocene and Pliocene periods, 20 million
years ago. These forms are now extinct in Europe due to climatic alterations
during glacial periods and survived only in Macronesian archipels. According
to the nomination document, Madeira forest is known as the largest Laurissilva
forest in the world.
A total of 150 plant species occur in the forests, most
of them being endemic to Madeira.
FAUNA The fauna is relatively poor, but most species
are of conservation concern, mainly as endemic to the island. Following
bird species occur in the Laurissilva forest: Accipiter nisus, Apus
unicolor and Fringila coelebs maderensis. Mammals and reptiles
are particularly poor: two species of mammal Nyctalus leisleri verrucosus
and Pipistrellus maderensis, and one species of reptile Lacerta
duguesii. are reported).
CULTURAL HERITAGE No detailed information. The
Island of Madeira was discovered in 1419 by the Portuguese navigator Joao
Gonçalves Zarco. The 16th and 17th centuries
were characterised by high production of sugar.
LOCAL HUMAN POPULATION Approximately 500 people
live in the buffer zone of the forest. The site is not inhabited inside.
The south of the island is more populated due to a nice climate. This
has lead to the total destruction of indigenous forests.
VISITORS AND VISITOR FACILITIES The nomination
document mentions that thousands of tourists visit Madeira every year.
Visitor facilities include films, videos, brochures and publications,
car park, sanitary installations and emergency service.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND FACILITIES Scientific
research has been mainly conducted by Madeira Botanical Garden on indigenous
and endemic plant species, their introduction in natural habitat. In 1992
and 1995, staff of Madeira Nature Park conducted qualitative and quantitative
survey of the Laurissilva forest. Results were published in Laurrissilva
da Madeira by Madeira Nature Park in 1996 and in Atlas do Ambiente
by Direcçao Geral do Ambiente in 1997.
CONSERVATION VALUE With its 14,500ha, the Laurissilva
forest of Madeira is considered as the largest Laurissilva forest of the
Macronesia Islands and present still areas of primary forest. The level
of endemism in plants and animals is reported to be particularly high.
CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT Goats and cattle have
been eliminated from the Park due to the damages caused on forest, soil
and vegetation. In 1980, a programme to remove all exotic species was
conducted, leading to the recovery of large area of primary forest.
The zoning and management plan defined by Regional decree
No 19/82/M is still under development. The Regional decree No 12/95/M
provides for the Territorial Organisation of the Autonomous Region of
Madeira (Plan d'Organisation Territoriale de la Région Autonome
de Madère-POTRAM), including general orientations on planing and
development on use and land tenure and protection of the natural heritage
and population repartition.
MANAGEMENT CONSTRAINTS The extension of road network
and agricultural land constitute the major problems related to the development.
The presence of goats in forest has caused serious threat to the forest
since the colonial times.
STAFF A total of 44 staff, including 1 Director,
2 Heads of Division, 4 Senior Technicians 1 Technician, 2 Assistant technician,
6 Administration assistants and 25 Forest Rangers from the Regional Direction
of Forests.
BUDGET Funding from the European Economic Community
for scientific projects and funds from the Regional Government of Madeira.
LOCAL ADDRESS
Parque Natural da Madeira - Quinta do Bom Sucesso, Caminho
do Meio, 9050 FUNCHAL.
Tel: 091 222266, Fax: 091 222589
Direcçao Regional des Florestas- Estrada Comandante
Camacho de Freitas, No 308, Jamboto S. Antonio-9000 FUNCHAL.
Secretaria Regional de Agricultura Florestas e Pescas
- Palacio do Governo, Avenida Zarco - 9000 FUNCHAL.
REFERENCES
10 References in the nomination document
DATE February 1999
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