New protected areas in Nave do Barão and Gruta de Vale Telheiro under public discussion

The classification proposals and draft regulations for the Nave do Barão Local Nature Reserve and the Gruta de Vale Telheiro Local Natural Monument will be open for public discussion until September 16.

The first area covers mostly the parish of Salir, but also a small portion of the Union of Parishes of Querença, Tôr, and Benafim, comprising approximately 788 hectares. Nave do Barão is a polje (a large, closed depression typical of karst terrain) classified as a Geosite of National Importance.

According to the municipality, its geological characteristics favor the occurrence of one of the largest temporary ponds in Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula, Lagoa da Nave do Barão, a priority habitat, classified with the conservation status 'Vulnerable' on the European Red List of Habitats.

The area's biodiversity also includes nine habitats classified as part of the Natura 2000 Network, four of which are priority conservation sites. At least 272 flora species are recorded in the area, 25% of which are considered of conservation interest. As for fauna, 407 species are recorded, with a focus on endangered invertebrates such as the water flea.

The classification of the Nave do Barão Local Nature Reserve will provide “better environmental quality, increased resilience of the territory in a context of climate change, enhancement of the region's natural and social capital and recovery and preservation of natural and cultural heritage”.

Vale Telheiro Cave

The Vale Telheiro Cave Local Natural Monument is located in the municipality of Loulé, northwest of the town of Vale Telheiro, within the parish of São Sebastião, and covers a total area of 78.52 hectares.

It is considered a “world-class underground biodiversity hotspot”, with more than 25 species adapted to underground life, containing “the largest number of cave species per cave in the country”.

"Subterranean biodiversity is an endemic natural heritage, unique in the world, which has an incalculable intrinsic value and is irreplaceable, deserving of legal protection and benefiting from appropriate protection, conservation and enhancement measures," the municipality states, adding that its classification will enable "the protection of this cave habitat of global importance and the endemic species that evolved there, as well as the immediately surrounding areas."

Furthermore, it will also create opportunities for technical and scientific knowledge, as well as for the promotion and dissemination of natural and cultural values.

Consultations

Documents from both areas are available for online consultation here . In-person consultations are available during normal business hours at the Loulé City Council headquarters, the Salir Parish Council, and the "Os Barões" Association.

Regarding the classification process of the Gruta de Vale Telheiro Local Natural Monument, consultation can be made during normal business hours at the headquarters of Loulé City Council, at the São Sebastião Parish Council and at the Traditional Café “O Pinheiro”.

During this period, interested parties may submit their observations and suggestions directly on the Participa Portal, via the address [email protected] or by post addressed to the Mayor of Loulé , to the address of the headquarters building.