São Jorge Nature Park anniversary

March 28, 2022

Sao Jorge Nature Park celebrates today its 11th anniversary, having been created by Regional Legislative Decree no. 8/2011/A, of 28 March.
This year, we highlight the Costa do Topo Protected Area for the Management of Habitats or Species, one of the 13 protected areas of Nature Park.
This area is characterized by a diversity of birds, such as Sterna dougallii, Calonectris borealis and Larus michahellis, and of flora species, namely Azorina vidalii, Erica azorica and Viburnum treleasei.
It is a privileged habitat classified as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area – IBA and, within the Nature 2000 network, is part of the Costa Noroeste e Ponta do Topo Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and of the Ilheu do Topo e Costa Adjacente Special Protection Area (SPA).
In this area, also stands out the Cabelo da Forca, a scoria cone cut by the cliff that shows a dyke system associated with its internal structure. In turn, on the Topo pier, peculiar forms associated with marine erosion phenomena and an intense alteration of the rock formations are visible, which, given its age, translates into spheroidal jointing and arenitization of the lava flows.