Barreiro da Faneca

Covering an area of around 835 hectares, Barreiro da Faneca, often referred to as the “Red Desert of the Azores”, is situated in the western part of Santa Maria and is distinguished by its arid, clayey landscape with a reddish hue, a feature unique to the Archipelago.

Its origin is linked to an ancient basaltic lava flow, later covered by a layer of volcanic ash from the “Feteiras Formation”, resulting from the island’s most recent volcanic activity. Over millions of years, this ash underwent intense alteration under the hot, humid conditions of the Upper Pliocene (between 3.6 and 2.6 million years ago), giving rise to the reddish clays that define the landscape today.

Barreiro features gently undulating terrain, marked by ravines and small gullies created by rainwater runoff and wind erosion, phenomena particularly evident in areas with sparse vegetation.

This protected area includes the cliffs of the Raposo, Tagarete and Cré bays, where important stratigraphic sequences are exposed, consisting of subaerial and submarine lava flows and sedimentary formations, such as limestones and fossiliferous conglomerates.

Although just a few decades ago it consisted of only scattered patches of vegetation, Barreiro da Faneca has undergone significant natural regeneration in recent years. Among the endemic plant species that have established themselves, the Azorean Picconia (Picconia azorica), Azorean Heather (Erica azorica), Azorean St. John's Wort (Hypericum foliosum) and Azorean Laurel (Laurus azorica) stand out. The native flora is represented, for example, by the Firetree (Morella faya). Nevertheless, some invasive species persist, such as the Sweet Pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) and the Gorse (Ulex europaeus), which pose conservation challenges.

In the surrounding woodlands, it is possible to observe various birds, including endemic subspecies such as the Santa Maria Goldcrest (Regulus regulus sanctaemariae) and the Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla atlantis), as well as native species such as the Robin (Erithacus rubecula).

Barreiro da Faneca comprises geosites within the Azores UNESCO Global Geopark, an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) designated by BirdLife International, and several Class 2 and 3 fossil sites within the Santa Maria Palaeopark. The area can be explored via the Costa Norte walking trail (PR01 SMA) and the Santa Maria Grand Route (GR01 SMA), which allow visitors to appreciate this unique landscape where geodiversity, biodiversity, and natural history intersect.

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