The Flores Natural Park, whose creation was approved at the Azorean Parliament on Tuesday, contains the “best and most well preserved” peatlands of the Atlantic.

The statement was made by the Regional Secretary for the Environment and the Sea, who also highlighted “the unique” combination of peatlands with Azores junipers in large extensions of land.

These areas are “truly precious” and because of them, the distinction of Biosphere Reserve was awarded by UNESCO to the island of Flores, added Álamo Meneses during the presentation of the proposal for the creation of a natural park on the westernmost island of the Azorean archipelago.

Moreover, the Regional Secretary also revealed the fact that the island of Flores has relatively large territory compared to its population, which allows the creation of a natural park with a “considerable” dimension, covering one third of the island’s surface.

According to Álamo Meneses, the Government’s proposal also intends to combine nature conservation needs with land use, particularly the use of pastures.

Under the terms of this diploma, the Flores Island Natural Park will include all categories of protected areas for environmental reasons which are located on the island of Flores and in the adjacent sea.
 
The natural park is a management unit for the protected areas on the island of Flores, being integrated in the Regional Network of Protected Areas of the Azores, established in 2007.

Hence, the Flores Natural Park comprises the natural reserves of the Maria Vaz islet, Morro Alto, Pico da Sé, Caldeira Funda and Caldeira Rasa; the natural monument of Rocha dos Bordões; the protected areas for the management of habitats and species of the Northwest Coast, the Ponta da Craveira, the South and Southeast Costs; the protected landscape area of Zona Central, the cliffs on the West Coast; and the protected area for resource management on the North Cost.