Pico da Vara (19717)
Portugal, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Pico da Vara
Central coordinates: Latitude: 37.8000, Longitude: -25.2167
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 250 to 1108
Area of KBA (km2): 64.94165
Protected area coverage (%): 94.70
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site refers to an extensive inland area of the São Miguel island, including its highest points - Pico da Vara (1.103m), Pico Verde (931m), some valleys and other mountains in the norteast sector of the island. It comprises the only remnant areas of the native laurisilva forest of the island of São Miguel.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: The only population of the world for the Azorean Bullfinch. Also one of the important sites for the Azorean Wood Pigeon in all the archipelago. Also interesting for several endemic subspecies of passerines, e.g. the Chaffinch, the Goldcrest and the Blackcap.
Habitats
Land use: forestry | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 25 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 25 | |
| Shrubland | 25 | |
| Introduced Vegetation | 25 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: This IBA is severely affected by invasive plant species and is surrounded by large areas of intensively explored forests. Two LIFE projects were runned until recently with some management measures for restoring the habitat of laurisilva. The species has been monitored since 1991 in an irregular basis, currently carried out by SPEA. There is a Specific Action Plan for the Azorean Bullfinch, developed by the Council of Europe and BirdLife International. The absence of the establishment of the SPA by the regional law constitutes a weakness in its surveillance and legal protection.
Additional information
References: Ramos(1995,1996b,1996c)Rodrigues & Nunes (2002)