The Ecological park of Funchal has been created with the objective of maintaining the natural heritage of an area over the city extremely rich in fauna (for inst.: Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus), Buzzard (buteo harterti), and Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus granti) and flora (for instance: Mandon's Chrysanthemum (Argyranthemum pinnatifídum), Lily of the Valley Tree (Clethra arborea) and Melliferous Spurge (Euphorbia piscatoria)).

The area of the Ecological Park was acquired in 1918 from several land owners, with the purpose of taking advantage of the waters from its springs to serve Funchal. Its area is now of about 1.000 ha (10 Km2). The highest lands are near Pico do Areeiro, at 1800 meters high, spreading down to the confluence with Córrego do Pisão with Santa Luzia river, only 520 meters above sea.
In the Ecological Park of Funchal we can find special areas for outdoor recreational activities for everyone. The support infrastructures have been improved and the number of fireplaces have increased.

Some of the works performed to benefit this Park are the cleaning of the area from Eucalyptus and Acacias, and its replacement with indigenous species in order to give to these mountains over Funchal its original native forest. Other great measure for the conservation and expansion of the indigenous vegetations was the withdrawal of ships and she-goats which lived freely in these spots.

Also environment educational actions are taken, involving the students from various schools of Madeira Archipelago and even some outside students.

[phone] +351 291 784 700
[Fax] +351 291 784 821
[e] pecof@cm-funchal.pt