An area in the Baixo Alentejo has been deemed unique, so it must be preserved, thanks to UNESCO.
The Castro Verde Biosphere Reserve is home to some 200 species of bird, including the great bustard (below) a species with 60% of its population found in Portugal and Spain.
The area also is home to the Iberian imperial eagle, a species threatened with extinction.
According to UNESCO, the reserve was awarded the registration in summer 2017 and "encompasses the most important cereal steppe area in Portugal, one of the most threatened rural landscapes in the Mediterranean region. The population of about 7,200 habitants lives from the extensive production of cereals and livestock rearing."
Francisco Duarte, mayor of Castro Verde, explained that it is “an important step by the image it conveys to the outside of our territory, but above all is a commitment to help build a more sustainable planet, fairer and more balanced. We did not stop and we will continue to work for a better land ... with even more will and determination than yesterday."
See: Castro Verde Biosphere Reserve
