Designated in 2000

The Tejo Internacional Nature Park, one of the more recently established Protected Areas in mainland Portugal, follows the narrow, steep-sided valleys of the Tagus, Erges, Aravil and Ponsul rivers. It includes territory of the parishes of Castelo Branco, Cebolais de Cima, Malpica do Tejo and Monforte da Beira in the municipality of Castelo Branco; the parishes of Rosmaninhal, Segura and Salvaterra do Extremo in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova; and the parish of Perais in the municipality of Vila Velha de Ródão. The creation of the Nature Park was prompted by the national and international importance of its natural heritage, particularly birdlife. Among the most notable species spotted here are the black stork Ciconia nigra, Bonelli’s eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus, golden eagle Aquila chrysaetus, black vulture Aegypius monachus, Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, griffon vulture Gyps fulvus, eagle owl Bubo bubo, azure-winged magpie Cyanopica cyana and golden oriole Oriolus oriolus. An important part of the vegetation is holm oak Quercus rotundifolia woodland, where a type of native wild pear tree Pyrus bourgaeana, Mediterranean buckthorn Rhamnus alaternus and mock privet Phillyrea angustifolia are also found among other species, as are wild olive Olea europaea var. sylvestris, mastic tree Pistacia lentiscus, small buckthorn Rhamnus oleoides ssp. oleoides, white asparagus Asparagus albus and prickly juniper Juniperus oxycedrus, which grow on the steep slopes together with common gum cistus Cistus ladanifer, the endemic shrubby spurge Securinega tinctoria and riverside corridors of sage-leaved willow Salix salvifolia.

This region has a lower than average population density due to intensive emigration (mainly since the mid-20th century), with many of the residents working in agriculture. The agricultural landscape has a predominance of oak copses, olive groves (sometimes grown on terraces), vegetable gardens, grazing for sheep and goats, rotation-based crops grown on tilled soil and long-standing fallow land. Evidence of human presence ranges from Megalithic traces to palaces and churches, especially the church of Nossa Senhora de Mércoles from the Visigothic period, the castle and the garden in the Bishop’s Palace (with its staircases commemorating the Portuguese monarchy) in the city of Castelo Branco.