Morena Bio-Reserve
The Morena Bio-Reserve is a 15-hectare forest area (8 of which are already owned by Milvoz), located near Cernache, a few kilometres away from the city of Coimbra. It is situated in a limestone Mediterranean area, which is very similar to the typical landscape of the so-called ‘Lands of Sicó’, even though it is outside the territory covered by the respective Special Conservation Area (SCA). Fortunately, however, Milvoz was able to acquire a large tract of land for a symbolic price, with a view to its much-needed conservation, in line with the association's main mission.
It's essentially a south-facing slope, corresponding to a strip about a kilometre long in a valley, with a width of up to 250 metres in some areas.
Its southern border is defined by a temporary watercourse, only active during periods of intense and consistent rainfall, as is typical in this type of limestone landscape, where the water infiltrates quickly and runs deep, coming to the surface further downstream, in this case at the Feteira spring.
This area, in particular, is in a very good state of conservation, despite the various and successive aggressions to which the surrounding territory has been subjected in the recent past. Therefore, it constitutes a very important biodiversity stronghold, serving as a refuge for countless species of fauna, some of which have been displaced after losing their habitat in the surrounding territories.
This Bio-Reserve is home to all the large species that are emblematic of the region: in addition to the wild boar and the roe deer, which are widespread these days, there are also foxes, badgers, genets, weasels, mongooses, red squirrels and wild rabbits. Birds of prey such as the hobby, the goshawk and the eagle owl, as well as forest birds such as the Iberian green woodpecker, the great spotted woodpecker, the blue jay and the starling are also found here.
The area is also important as a roosting site for flocks of hundreds of wintering thrushes, particularly the redwing.
The tit community is also diverse and has benefited from the placement of several dozen nest boxes at the site, following a partnership with the Centre for Marine and Environmental Sciences at the University of Coimbra. Similarly, the diversity of smaller vertebrates, particularly reptiles, as well as macroinvertebrates, is enormous, in accordance with the good state of conservation of this Bio-Reserve. Likewise, the diversity of the flora is remarkable, in which we highlight the patches of Portuguese oak trees, which coexist with old areas of stone pines, maritime pines and cypresses. Other species that are characteristic of this type of habitat are also present, namely the abundant kermes oaks and strawberry trees, along with a great diversity of aromatic plants. The profusion of lichens, mosses, fungi and ferns is particularly evident in the wetter areas.
The absence of invasive plants within this Bio-Reserve is, in the present time, a remarkable fact. On the other hand, what we can find here is a small parcel of a traditional vineyard, which Milvoz intends to revive with proper management techniques after many years of abandonment, turning it into an additional contribution to biodiversity. Acting as an area of excellence for species that are typical of glade habitats, the maintenance of the old cultivated areas contributes to preserving the identity of the old agricultural landscape, characterised by numerous limestone walls and terraces, as well as the existence of cortelhas (old stone shelters).
The name of this Bio-Reserve is due to the fact that it includes the so-called ‘Algar da Morena’, a vertical cave around 35 meters deep, as an important geological and biological heritage site. This underground cavity is the result of millennia of erosion of the underlying limestone formation by rainwater that took advantage of a natural gap (joint) to flow down, most likely to the phreatic level that extends further down along the creek. The word ‘Morena’ takes us back to an imaginary that dates back to the Arab presence on the Iberian Peninsula: ‘The enchanted Moorish women are one of the most common themes of popular legends and superstitions in Western Europe. They are classified as evil deities, female genies of the waters, guardians of enchanted treasures hidden in the centre of the Earth.’*
*http://www1.ci.uc.pt/iej/alunos/2001/lendas/Lendas%20de%20Braganca.htm
Be part of this conservation project!
Similar to the Senhora da Alegria Bio-Reserve, a Volunteer Group has also been set up for the Morena to monitor and maintain the space.
If you would like to join the project and take part in its activities, simply sign up here.