The government of Portugal has designated five new Wetlands of International Importance, effective 2 December 2005. They are: Bertiandos and S. Pedro of Arcos Lagoons, a complex of permanent and temporary freshwater lakes on the right bank of the Lima River in the north of the country; Estrela Mountain upper Plateau and upper Zêzere River, the upper reaches and plateau region of Portugal’s highest mountain (1993m); Fajãs of Caldeira and Cubres Lagoons, two small coastal lagoon systems formed by landslide processes off steep coastal cliffs on S. Jorge Island in the Azores Autonomic Region; Mira Minde Polje and related Springs, an important, flat karstic depression and associated subterranean hydrological system, springs, and caves; and Mondego Estuary, the estuary of the largest river that is wholly within Portugal. Portugal now has 17 Ramsar sites covering a surface area of 73,784 hectares.
Source: website of the Ramsar Convention on wetlands
Updated on 5/16/2006 4:24:26 PM.
Share