The Natural Park of São Miguel located on the island of São Miguel is made up of: Natural Reserves of Lagoa do Fogo and Pico da Vara, Natural Monuments such as Caldeira Velha, Gruta do Carvão, Pico das Camarinhas and Ponta da Ferraria and Protected Landscape Area of Sete Cidades and Recreational Forest Reserve of Pinhal da Paz
Lagoa do Fogo is one of the largest lagoons in the Azores and the second largest on São Miguel Island, and has been classified as a natural reserve since 1974.
Lagoa do Fogo is an integral part of the Natura 2000 Network due to the fact that it is classified as a special conservation area, approved by Decision of the European Commission on December 28, 2001.
This lagoon with very blue waters occupies an area of 1,360 ha, which is quite a lot considering the size of the island itself.
The Fogo volcano forms the large volcanic massif of Serra de Água de Pau, which is located in the central area of São Miguel Island and is surrounded by dense and exuberant endemic vegetation.
Many species of plants endemic to the Azores stand out in this lagoon: the wild cedar (Juniperus brevifolia), the laurel (Laurus azorica) and the sanguinho (Frangula azorica), the malfurada (Hypericum foliosum), the heather (Erica azorica) and the male trovisco.
In this area you can find land birds such as the Azores wood pigeon (Columba palumbus azorica), the black kite (Buteo buteo rothschildi), the gray wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) and the blackbird (Turdus merula azorensis).
Seabirds such as the gull (Larus cachinnans atlantis) and the common tern (Sterna hirundo).
The Pico da Vara Natural Reserve is a protection area for the priolo bird, flora species such as Erica azorica (Heather), Vaccinium cylindraceum (Uva-da-Serra), Juniperus brevifolia (Cedro-do-Mato) and Laurus azorica (Louro).
The reserve occupies a vast area and the highest elevations nearby are Pico da Vara, Malhada, Rechão das Vacas, Planalto dos Graminhais and Serra da Tronqueira.
The Natural and Regional Monument of Caldeira Velha is located in Ribeira Grande as a biosphere reserve of great importance for botany and typical fauna of the Laurissilva Forests (tree ferns that populate this natural monument, natural vegetation and forest of exotic species).
In this area the geological characteristics, its rugged relief deeply embedded in the Pico do Fogo mountain combined with a river with small dams and abundant flows at certain times of the year.
The stream is fed by hot water springs of thermal origin that fall forming cascades with brownish water due to the great abundance of iron in the water.
Gruta do Carvão is a geological formation of Portuguese volcanic origin located in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, São Miguel island, Azores.
The Cave is a lava tube made up of 4 sections (Paim, Secadores de Tobacco, João do Rego and José Bensaúde), with only the Paim section open to the public for visitation.
Gruta do Carvão is part of the Picos Volcanic Complex and has around 250 cones of basaltic slag from associated lava flows of a basaltic nature.
The Regional Natural Monument of Pico das Camarinhas and Ponta da Ferraria is a nature protection area that covers Ponta da Ferraria to Pico das Camarinhas, located in the parish of Ginetes, municipality of Ponta Delgada, island of São Miguel, Azores archipelago.
The nature protection zone begins on the coast, in the extreme southwest of the island of São Miguel and is made up of several structures of volcanic origin of great scenic and scientific value.
The Sete Cidades Protected Landscape Area is located in the parish of Sete Cidades, municipality of Ponta Delgada, island of São Miguel, archipelago of the Azores and was created on 7 de Fevereiro and has been included in the São Miguel Natural Park since 2008.
In the Sete Cidades Massif and is made up of the entire volcanic crater, and the lagoons in it: Lagoa das Sete Cidades, Lagoa de Santiago and Lagoa Rasa, Caldeira do Alferes, Caldeira Seca, Lagoa do Canário, Lagoa de Pau Pique, Lagoa do Junco.
The protected landscape area encompasses, in addition to the endemic flora, an entire area of lagoons with predominant emphasis on Lagoa das Sete Cidades due to its size.
It also includes picnic parks and some of the most extraordinary viewpoints on the island of São Miguel, such as the Miradouro da Boca do Inferno.
The Pinhal da Paz Recreational Forest Reserve, also known as Mata das Criações, is a Portuguese forest park located in Fajã de Cima, municipality of Ponta Delgada, on the Azorean island of São Miguel.
In Pinhal da Paz there are plantations of exotic and endemic plant species from Macaronesia and a collection of hydrangeas of different colors in the park.
Lagoa do Fogo is an integral part of the Natura 2000 Network due to the fact that it is classified as a special conservation area, approved by Decision of the European Commission on December 28, 2001.
This lagoon with very blue waters occupies an area of 1,360 ha, which is quite a lot considering the size of the island itself.
The Fogo volcano forms the large volcanic massif of Serra de Água de Pau, which is located in the central area of São Miguel Island and is surrounded by dense and exuberant endemic vegetation.
Many species of plants endemic to the Azores stand out in this lagoon: the wild cedar (Juniperus brevifolia), the laurel (Laurus azorica) and the sanguinho (Frangula azorica), the malfurada (Hypericum foliosum), the heather (Erica azorica) and the male trovisco.
In this area you can find land birds such as the Azores wood pigeon (Columba palumbus azorica), the black kite (Buteo buteo rothschildi), the gray wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) and the blackbird (Turdus merula azorensis).
Seabirds such as the gull (Larus cachinnans atlantis) and the common tern (Sterna hirundo).
The Pico da Vara Natural Reserve is a protection area for the priolo bird, flora species such as Erica azorica (Heather), Vaccinium cylindraceum (Uva-da-Serra), Juniperus brevifolia (Cedro-do-Mato) and Laurus azorica (Louro).
The reserve occupies a vast area and the highest elevations nearby are Pico da Vara, Malhada, Rechão das Vacas, Planalto dos Graminhais and Serra da Tronqueira.
The Natural and Regional Monument of Caldeira Velha is located in Ribeira Grande as a biosphere reserve of great importance for botany and typical fauna of the Laurissilva Forests (tree ferns that populate this natural monument, natural vegetation and forest of exotic species).
In this area the geological characteristics, its rugged relief deeply embedded in the Pico do Fogo mountain combined with a river with small dams and abundant flows at certain times of the year.
The stream is fed by hot water springs of thermal origin that fall forming cascades with brownish water due to the great abundance of iron in the water.
Gruta do Carvão is a geological formation of Portuguese volcanic origin located in the municipality of Ponta Delgada, São Miguel island, Azores.
The Cave is a lava tube made up of 4 sections (Paim, Secadores de Tobacco, João do Rego and José Bensaúde), with only the Paim section open to the public for visitation.
Gruta do Carvão is part of the Picos Volcanic Complex and has around 250 cones of basaltic slag from associated lava flows of a basaltic nature.
The Regional Natural Monument of Pico das Camarinhas and Ponta da Ferraria is a nature protection area that covers Ponta da Ferraria to Pico das Camarinhas, located in the parish of Ginetes, municipality of Ponta Delgada, island of São Miguel, Azores archipelago.
The nature protection zone begins on the coast, in the extreme southwest of the island of São Miguel and is made up of several structures of volcanic origin of great scenic and scientific value.
The Sete Cidades Protected Landscape Area is located in the parish of Sete Cidades, municipality of Ponta Delgada, island of São Miguel, archipelago of the Azores and was created on 7 de Fevereiro and has been included in the São Miguel Natural Park since 2008.
In the Sete Cidades Massif and is made up of the entire volcanic crater, and the lagoons in it: Lagoa das Sete Cidades, Lagoa de Santiago and Lagoa Rasa, Caldeira do Alferes, Caldeira Seca, Lagoa do Canário, Lagoa de Pau Pique, Lagoa do Junco.
The protected landscape area encompasses, in addition to the endemic flora, an entire area of lagoons with predominant emphasis on Lagoa das Sete Cidades due to its size.
It also includes picnic parks and some of the most extraordinary viewpoints on the island of São Miguel, such as the Miradouro da Boca do Inferno.
The Pinhal da Paz Recreational Forest Reserve, also known as Mata das Criações, is a Portuguese forest park located in Fajã de Cima, municipality of Ponta Delgada, on the Azorean island of São Miguel.
In Pinhal da Paz there are plantations of exotic and endemic plant species from Macaronesia and a collection of hydrangeas of different colors in the park.
