Since 2015, the municipality of Vouzela has pioneered the creation of the first protected area under local management: the Vouga-Caramulo Local Natural Park, which extends over 11,739 hectares between the Serra do Caramulo and the Vouga River.

This classification aims to promote the conservation and enhancement of its natural and landscape heritage, its biodiversity and its sustainable development.

 

 

In this Park, the combination of the vegetation and the relief creates ideal conditions for nature sports, such as hiking or mountain biking, as a way of becoming immersed in the area. At the time of its classification, the forest and the forests were dominated by the oak (Quercus spp.), despite the immense biodiversity that characterises the site. In the woods of Penoita, a fusion of native and exotic species lends it a singular beauty, and on the Cambarinho river, the largest population of common rhododendron (Rhododendron-ponticum spp.) in Portugal can be found, a species endemic to Iberian laurel forest, and centrepiece of the municipality, which flowers in May and is scattered around water courses.

This classified area also boasts a very rich history and culture, given the megalithic monuments located in the area, which bear witness to the ancient human presence that, today, is evidenced by the intimate relationship with the surrounding environment and the use of materials in the construction of village dwellings.