Laurisilva of Madeira, protected area in Portugal
Laurisilva of Madeira is a large forest covering parts of the island with ancient evergreen trees standing densely together and forming a thick leaf canopy overhead. It spans around 15,000 hectares with trails and historic water channels called levadas that guide visitors through its wettest and most remote areas.
The forest has existed for about 20 million years and is known as a living fossil because it represents one of the few remaining landscapes from the Mediterranean era. It survived climate changes that made similar forests disappear from Europe and North Africa because Madeira's mountains protected it.
The forest is named after the laurel trees that thrive here and keep their leaves year-round. Throughout the woods, you see trees covered in moss and lichen, making everything look dressed in soft green coats that local traditions link to healing and survival.
Visitors should wear good shoes and stick to marked trails, as the forest is fragile and the ground can be slippery from moisture. Bring water and allow extra time for slow walking through the wet, thick vegetation.
The forest once spread across large parts of southern Europe and North Africa, but only Madeira's higher mountains allowed it to survive completely. This isolated population today remains one of the last full examples of an ancient ecosystem that once dominated the Mediterranean region.
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