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Ponta do Arnel
Protected Area for the Management of Habitats or Species
With 22 hectares, this area develops from the Ribeira da Ponta do Arnel to Ponta da Lomba da Cruz and is a track from the seashore to the sea-cliff edge.
In terms of patrimony, stands out the Arnel Lighthouse, built at the end of the 19th century and opened to the public on 24 November 1876. It was the first lighthouse constructed in the Azores and has a white prismatic tower with 15 metres of height. At Ponta do Arnel, it is also possible to visit the Porto da Vila do Nordeste (harbour), built in the 16th century by order of King D. João III, that includes a dock, a ramp and some support houses.
The coastline of this area is linear, with only the northern edge of Ponta do Arnel standing out. It is characterized by high cliffs with an almost vertical profile, cut by water lines and bordered by detrital boulders, resulting from slopes movement.
Due to its sea-cliffs being important sites of seabird nesting as the Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) and Barolo Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri baroli).
Due to its rugged morphology, its slopes maintain some natural vegetation, especially the Azorean Coastal Fescue (Festuca petraea), the Firetree (Morella faya), the Azorean Heather (Erica azorica) and the Azorean Coastal Spurge (Euphorbia azorica).
This area is part of the Faial da Terra e Ponta do Arnel Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), under the BirdLife International organization.