The application of the Habitats Directive in Portugal

• Autor(a) principal: Costa, José Carlos
• Data de Publicação: 2007
• Outros Autores: Monteiro-Henriques, T., Neto, C., Arsénio, Pedro, Aguiar, C.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/5399
• topic: habitats directive; nature conservation; Portugal

A succinct review of the application of the Habitats Directive in Portugal is presented. Since 1971 until 2000 Portugal has defined approximately 8,8% of its territory as national protected areas. With the application of the Habitats Directive nature conservation policies extended to more than 17,4 % of the territory increasing by 98% and the knowledge on vegetation community’s habitats was certainly deepened. Including special protection areas (Birds Directive) the Portuguese territory under one or more conservation status totals 21,5%. Finally, the support given by the Portuguese Phytosociology Association – ALFA in the detailed description of the Directive habitats is divulged, showing the importance, usefulness and efficacy of phytosociologic studies.