The Laurissilva forest has an abundance of biodiversity, energy and beauty. It possesses a vast and rich Natural Heritage, which in 1999 became Humanity Heritage by UNESCO. Water is a constant presence in this forest, therefore it is also known as the "water producing forest", since the union of its multiple constituents contributes to the hydric balance which is essential to life in the Madeira Island.

Today, the Madeira indigenous forest is the widest and best preserved of all the archipelagos that constitute Macronesia; that is why it is considered by many to be a true relic of the subtropical forest, which, in the Tertiary era, existed in Southern Europe and in the Mediterranean basin, where it was naturally extinguished. Given its importance, it was classified as Biogenetic Reserve of the European Counsil in 1992.

Its name, Laurissilva, results from two Latin terms, laurus and silva, which mean laurel and forest, accordingly. This forest consists of trees and shrubs with flat leaves, fern, moss, lichens, hepatics and other small plants, with innumerable endemicities, that grow under high precipitation conditions and relative humidity (generally above 85%) and mild average temperatures. It occupies an area of approx. 15.000 hectares and is essentially located in the northern coast, between 300 and 1300 m altitude, in the fog condensation zone. Due to human intervention, it is restricted to some places of difficult access in the southern coast, between 700 and 1200 m altitude.

All of the 4 dominating species, the canary laurel, the laurel, the Madeira laurel and the mahogany, belong to the Lauraceae family and are endemic of Macronesia, with the exception of the laurel.

The Madeira Laurissilva is integrated in the Rede Natura 2000, a network of nature preservation areas of communitarian interest, classified as Special Protection Zone (ZPE), according to the "Birds" Directive and as Communitarian Place of Interest (SIC), according to the "Habitats" Directive.