Candidatura Reserva da Biosfera - Santana Madeira Biosfera

c) An outer transition area where sustainable resource management
practices are promoted and developed
The transition zones include marine and land areas of public and private tenure
totaling 8626.32 hectares, accounting for 56.68% of the total reserve area. The
marine transition area corresponds to 44.58% of the transition area with a total of
3845.93 ha, while the land portion of the transition area covers 4780.39 ha. It is an
area of strong rural expression with several rural-urban centers mainly arranged
along the main roads and that include the town of Santana, urban center that is
characterized by its sparse settlement, typical of rural areas. The transition zone
includes areas of exotic woods, including eucalyptus and
pine trees as well as some forsaken terraces, due to the abandonment of
agricultural activity that occurred during times of emigration. The main economic
activities of agriculture, livestock production, agro-industrial and forestry develop
this area, one of the most important in the region within these economic segments.
Figure 26. Panoramic view of transition area from the land core area
42 Application of Santana, Madeira to Biosphere Reserve – UNESCO - MAB