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Percurso da Serra Amarela


NAME OF INTEREST - Birches with extensive covering of lichen

CONCEPT - Natural Heritage


The Iberian white birch (Betula celtiberica) is a tree well adapted to areas of high humidity and also tolerates cold well. For these reasons it is one of the few tree species present in the highest areas of the National Park.
Some small birch copses that exist in humid areas and alongside watercourses are included in the priority conservation riverine birch habitat (91E0pt2). The birch copse that can be seen at this point is not a true example of this since it was planted and is not near a watercourse. The general aspect of the woodland is very similar to that of an oak wood. We can also notice that the birches have a well developed covering of lichen, indicating that there is very little air pollution in this environment. The wolf (Canis lupus) is one species of fauna that we can associate with this habitat, together with the goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) and the long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus).





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