MANAGING ENTITY: ICNF - Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests LOCATION: Santiago do Cacém and Sines, Portugal TOTAL AREA: 9917 ha PROJECT AREA: 99,2 ha DESCRIPTION: The Sines Forest Area (“Área Florestal de Sines” – AFS) resulted from the application of Decree-Law No. 116/89 of 14 April, which determined the transfer of part of the rustic and urban buildings from the Sines Area Office (GAS) to the Forests General Directorate (DGF) and National Service for Parks, Reserves and Nature Conservation (SNPRCN), currently ICNF.The area under ICNF management covered “protected forest areas and ecological conservation areas” that had, from the environmental stand point, great relevance and importance. The main objective of this area is the environmental protection and the mitigation of any constraints related to the industrial activity of the Sines Port and Industrial Complex.
The main existing forest species are: cluster pine (Pinus pinaster) (62%), cork oak (Quercus suber) (28%), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) (9%), stone pine (Pinus pinea) (1%) and various hardwood species. There are also some agricultural and protection plots.