Activities and Experiences in Sintra, Portugal

Established in 1994, the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park (Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais) spans 14,583 hectares and is home to over 200 species of vertebrates, including 33 mammals, more than 160 bird species, 12 amphibians, 20 reptiles, and 9 freshwater fish. The park’s most prominent feature is the Sintra mountain range, which reaches a peak of 528 meters. In addition to its stunning mountains, the park boasts a scenic coastline of significant ecological value, along with a vast rural area filled with natural and semi-natural ecosystems that support a rich variety of flora, fauna, and habitats.

Approximately 47% of Quinta da Penha Longa is covered by forest. In 2020, a Forest Management Plan was created, dividing the forest into 10 distinct plots: one for conservation purposes (14.5 ha), five for both conservation and production functions (41.7 ha), and four dedicated to production (47.3 ha). The production areas primarily focus on cork oak, which is harvested every nine years, and pine trees, from which the pine nuts are collected.

In addition to routine forest management tasks such as cleaning and pruning, the plan includes measures for fire prevention, such as fuel management in protective strips and maintaining accessible paths. It also addresses pest control, particularly targeting the pine wood nematode and the oak pinhole borer, an insect that threatens cork oaks. Furthermore, the plan aims to control the spread of invasive species, especially acacia.