Candidatura Reserva da Biosfera - Santana Madeira Biosfera

Directive Annex I, the Juniper forest, Yew forests and Macaronesian laurel forests are
priority natural habitats and of community interest.
Regarding the organization of plant communities that make up the exotic forest,
characterized by pure or mixed areas of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), Acacia (Acacia
spp.) and Cluster pine (Pinus pinaster), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga mensiesii), Cryptomeria
(Cryptomeria japonica) and sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), the latter being exploited
by its fruits and the other species for their wood. These areas of exotic forest cover, the
shrub stratum is usually represented by Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) and common
gorse (Ulex europaeus), while the herbaceous stratum the dominant species are the
Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) and various species of indigenous (Rubus Bollei, Rubus
canariensis , Rubus ulmifolius) and endemic (Rubus grandifolius, Rubus vahlii) Brambles,
these mainly in exotic forest areas close to the native forest. The mixed exotic forest
areas, composed of 50% of eucalyptus, 40% of cluster pine and 10% of acacia, occupy
approximately 7228 ha, dominating about 43% of the exotic forest area. Regarding pure
monospecific forested areas, the cluster pine is the dominant species, which occupies
approximately 5867 ha, while 1054 ha are exclusively eucalyptus and approximately 204
ha of acacia. The remaining 2454 ha of exotic forest area, are occupied by pure
populations of other less abundant species such as Scots’ pines, Insigne pines,
Cryptomerias, Douglas firs, Chamaecypars cedars and Sweet chestnut trees.
Figure 55. Exotic forested areas close to native forest in Ilha Parish
104 Application of Santana, Madeira to Biosphere Reserve – UNESCO - MAB