The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is the only autochthonous (native) pine species to be found in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, although today there remain only a few small relics of the original forest, in the eastern part of the Serra do Gerês. In the whole of Portugal it is only in the Serra do Gerês that any part of the natural Scots pine forest has survived, all other examples of this tree are found in, or are derived from, plantations.
In contrast to the maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and stone pine (Pinus pinea), the scots pine is adapted to cold climates and for this reason is found at the highest altitudes, generally above 700 metres. The examples that we see at this point originated from plantations.