Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras De Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal

Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal 1 Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal 2 Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal CREDITS: Texts: Diamantino Pereira, Artur Sá, Sílvia Marcos, Ana Lima, Maria João Rodrigues, Ana Luísa Fernandes, Susana Magalhães, Susana Matias Maps: Alcino Loureiro Photos: Terras de Cavaleiros Geopark archive, Valter Cavaleiro Layout: Pedro Coelho 3 Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal Table of Contents A. Identification of the Area D. Economic Activity & Business Plan A1. Name of the proposed Geopark D1. Economic activity in the proposed Geopark A2. Surface area, physical and human D2. Existing and planned facilities for the geography characteristics of the proposed proposed Geopark Geopark D3. Analysis of geotourism potential of the A3. Organization in charge and management proposed Geopark structure of the proposed Geopark D4. Overview and policies for the sustainable A4. Application contact person development of geo-tourism and economy, geo-education, geo-heritage D5. Policies for, and examples of, community B. Geological Heritage empowerment in the proposed Geopark B1. Location of the proposed Geopark D6. Policies for, and examples of, public and B2. General geological description of the stakeholder awareness in the proposed proposed Geopark Geopark B3. Listing and description of geological sites within the proposed Geopark E. Interest and arguments for joining the B4. Details on the interest of these sites in terms EGN/GGN of their international, national, regional or local value Annexes C. Geoconservation C1. Current or potential pressure on the Annex 1: Self-evaluation document proposed Geopark C2. Current status in terms of protection of geological sites within the proposed Geopark Annex 2: Copy of Section B “Geological Heritage” of the application C3. Data on the management and maintenance of these sites C4. Listing and description of non-geological Annex 3: Letters of Support from the Portugal sites and how they are integrated into the UNESCO Commission and others Relevant proposed Geopark Institucions 4 Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal A. Identification of the Area 5 Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal A. Identification of the area A1. Name of the proposed Geopark A2. Surface area, physical and human Name in Portuguese: Geoparque Terras de Cavaleiros geography characteristics of the proposed Geopark Name in English: Terras de Cavaleiros Geopark (Lands of Knights Geopark) The meaning of the name of the proposed geopark The territory of Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark is twofold. The word “Terras/Lands” takes us back to (TCAG) match with the limits of the municipality of medieval times and to the vastness of the territory. Macedo de Cavaleiros, with an area of 699.2 km2 The word “Cavaleiros/Knights” is associated with the spread across 30 parishes. Macedo de Cavaleiros heroic act of the knight Martim Gonçalves de County is located in the northern plateau (41º 32’ Macedo; During the Aljubarrota fight in 1385 he saved 16.15’’ N, 6º 58’ 8.29’’ W), 181 km from Porto and 505 from death the Master of Avis that became latter King km from Lisbon (Figure 1). In the Iberian Peninsula the of Portugal - D. João I. distance to the nearest and most important Spanish Figure 1 - Location of the Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark 6 Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal cities is 149 km to Zamora, 221 km to Salamanca, 248 amplitude is above 15°C. The minimum average km to Valladolid, 294 km to Vigo and 401 km to Madrid. temperature is registered during January with 6.2°C and the maximum average temperature reaches The territory have its dominant altitudes between 400 23.9°C during July. The annual average rainfall is and 800 m and the highest altitude is in the Nogueira about 504.7 mm, irregularly distributed throughout mountain with 1320 m (Figure 2) and the lowest altitu- the year. de is in the Sabor river (200 m). The municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros is located in the transition between the Cold Land zone (900 - 1300 m high) and The municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros has a the Hot Land zone (450 - 700 m high), two designations population of 15 776 inhabitants, corresponding to a 2 used for regional planning. population density of 22.6 inhabitants/km (2011 Census). In general, the demographic dynamics of the This region has long winters and short and warm region follows the trend of the Trás-os-Montes Subregion summers, with occurrence of frosts from October until and is the opposite to the trend for the Northern Region, May (Mendes 2005). The mean yearly temperature demonstrating the persistence of the migration of varies between 12 and 14°C and the yearly thermic resident population towards the littoral areas (Table 1). Figure 2 - Nogueira mountain in the background Table 1 – Variation of the resident population, between 2001 and 2011, in the Northern Region, Trás-os-Montes Sub-region and Macedo de Cavaleiros Municipality (2011 Census) 7 Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal The aging population, 28.1% according to the 2011 Presently, 37% of population is professionally active Census, leads to a significant increase of the elderly and the unemployment rate is around 10%. In what dependency ratio in Macedo de Cavaleiros. In turn, concerns the distribution of the active population of the low birth is one of the factors that directly reflect the municipality by the three sectors of activity, note the decrease in the dependency ratio of young, that the majority is employed in the tertiary sector indicating a lower weight of the younger age groups (68.6%), comparing to the secondary sector (17.5%) in its population structure (11.7%) (Table 2). and to the primary (13.9%) (Graph 1) (Census 2011). The primary sector is the most important one in the municipality and is confined to agriculture and Table 2 - Distribution of the population by age groups in Macedo de Cavaleiros (2011 Census) livestock. Regarding the secondary sector, the activity with largest contribution is construction, supported by the manufacturing industries. The tertiary sector in the territory, with almost 70% of the active population, relies on trade activities, educational, health and social services. Cultural identity is evidenced by the preservation of traditions, the richness of the gastronomy and regional products, and the memories of people. There are several associations that ensure art forms, such as dance, theatre or music, like AJAM - Youth Association of Macedo Artists, the Potrica Association - Cultural Action Group from Nordeste Transmontano region, the Pauliteiros of Salselas, the Cultural and Recreational Group of Casa do Povo, local musical bands, among others. The municipality still has 13.6% of its population without Graph 1 - Sectors of economic activity in the Municipality of Macedo any level of education; however 61.1% completed de Cavaleiros (2011 Census) compulsory studies (Census 2011) (Table 3). The school network in the Municipality of Macedo de Cavalei- ros is constituted by the Vertical Grouping of Schools of the Municipality that includes nine kindergartens and four schools of different levels. It is noteworthy that there are also several private establishments: three kindergartens, the Children’s Centre Nuclisol Jean Piaget, the Social Centre of Nossa Senhora de Fátima, the Nossa Senhora da Paz College, and the Institute Jean-Piaget - Higher School of Education and Health. Table 3 - Level of education in the municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros (2011 Census) The Cultural Centre is the pole of the Macedo de Cavaleiros culture that offers a diversified programme, like theatre, music, dance and exhibitions addressed to local population, presenting local, regional and national artists. Events such as the Hunting Fair, the Tourism Fair and Business Fair of S. Pedro, the Chocalheiro Carnival, the International Festival of Traditional Music, are some of the major cultural attractions in Macedo de Cavaleiros. 8 Application Dossier for the European Geopark Network Terras de Cavaleiros Aspiring Geopark, Portugal A3. Organization in charge and management structure of the proposed Geopark The Terras de Cavaleiros Geopark Association · Identify, create services and quality products as (TCGA) is the management structure of the differentiating mark of the territory; Geopark. It’s a non-profit association, created by · Manage the infrastructures that may be assigned public deed on 2012 October 16th, located on the or created by the association. ground floor at the Cultural Centre of Macedo de Cavaleiros. The mission of the association is to The TCGA has 11 founding members (Table 4) and contribute to the knowledge, protection, promotion has as main governing bodies the General Assembly, and dissemination of the cultural and natural the Management Board, the Fiscal Board and the heritage of the territory, with special focus on Scientific Board (Figure 3; Table 5). geological heritage; and also with a perspective Apart from the elected bodies at the General of deepening and dissemination of scientific Assembly

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