The Natural Park of Fogo is situated in the hearth of Fogo’s Island, and reaches the Volcano, the crater and a unique natural view in the whole Cape-Verde which deserves be appreciated The fantastic cenary of the Natural Park makes it in a must stop place to the visitors, a optimal space to relax, adventure, innovation, “get-together” or meeting, and of rest. The paisagistic beauty, the speciality of the fauna and flora and its relationship with the environment, represents on the Natural Park and unique heritage, where the ecologic functions and natural associations are yet most preserved and intact.
Flora e Fauna
Of the 82 species of endemics plants of Cape Verde, 37 are found in the Fogo’s Island. 31 species grow in the high zones of Bordeira and 6 of them are endemism of Fogo’s Island. The most spectacular is the Lingua - de - Vaca (Echium Vulcanorum) endemic of Fogo.
Of the 18 species of birds which nested in the Island 10 exist in the zone, and 3 of which are endemics. The most in danger it is the endemic Gon-Gon (Pterodroma feae)
View
The paisagistic aspects of the crater (caldeira) which the wall is still intact is the Pico of Fogo, still active, are aspects of great importance. In the xx century there were two eruptions, one in June 6, 1951 and the other one in April 2, 1995, both from secondary craters in the base of the volcano. The Volcano Pico of Fogo has 2,829 m of height, and the Pico of April 2 which came after the eruption of 1995, in its base, stands about 2000m.
Population
The population of Chã das Caldeiras has its own characteristics, not only physic as well as by its traditional way of living and sharing. The population live main from agriculture and cattle. Large part of the houses were traditional built from the Volcanos stones. Still there are houses with round shape (funcos) from long time ago which were comox . The inhabitants are very close to the land to which they live.
Use
The area of the Park is also a very important zone for agriculture and fruit culture.
The fruit culture represents a great source of income, through the production of the famous Wine of Fogo and the “MANECOM” traditional wine.
The values of the Park are in danger due to the over-utilization of natural resources. The Natural Park of Fogo, which main goal is the harmonization of necessity of conservation of the environment, will guaranty the improvement of living condition for the local population, in a compatible way with the defense of these values, thus guarantying the conservation of the flora and fauna endemic, of the unique ecosystems promoting the sustained development of the resident population, contributing this way, to better the living condition.
In the area of communication or tele-communication, Cova Figueira in the Parish of Santa Catarina, is situated in a strategic point due to its geographic position. For example in the late sixties or seventies, before the country’s independence, the defunct colonial government of Portugal built with the help of another country, a network of tele-communication stations, around Cape Verde one of them in Fogo’s island in the Parish of Santa Catarina more precisely in Cova Figueira.
Since long time ago, it is known that this zone, is privileged for radio communication, television, telex etc.; to cite an example, the first television broadcast received in Fogo’s Island was done in Cova Figueira in the decade of seventy, where, people saw for the first time in Fogo’s history, live from Montreal Canada, the Olympic Games of 1976, which was a tremendous joy for all the people there. In the meantime it should be said that the first television broadcast between Sao Tiago and Fogo was received in the parish of Santa Catarina, in which a modulator of television waves, transmitted signals from Monte Tchota in Sao Tiago to a television receiver in Cova Figueira, received just with a dipolo antena.
PEOPLE
The folks of Parish of Santa Catarina are kind, easygoing, hardworking, and optmists. All these caracteristcs are traces of the people of this locality, giving to the travellers who come by an unforgetable sample of its friendship which last for ever. Its population is formed by a blend of people of different ethnic race such as Africans, Europeans, and people of others continents. The predominant color is Moreno - which is a mixture of black and white, but there is a small percentage of white color. Practically all people know each other one way or another making it easier o have a good relationship between all parties. In Cova Figueira the Parish center almost everybody is related to each other one way or another, the same is true to the neighboring regions. By their last name, people can see the familiar link. For example the last names Goncalves, Aandrade, Fontes, Veiga, Lopes, Monteiro, Vieira, Nunes, Pires, Alves, Rodrigues, Pina, Montrond, Silva and many more; are linked in one way or another through out the Island of Fogo.
In a permanent state of adventure the majority of the people of this Parish always find opportunities to discover new horizons immigrating to far away land taking with themselfs hopes of progress and some day return to the crib. Most of people has someone related in overseas. Since long time ago, the santacatarinnses tried to find in far away land the way to improve its standard of living by looking for better chance of paying jobs, studying, learning and giving the best of themselfs. This phenomena increased in the decade of sixties and seventies continuing until the this date.
For the ones who stayed always there is the constant desire to go for adventures and for those who depart always there is that desire to return to the mother land engraved in the soul.
Presidente opens officially Natural Park of Fogo
President of Republic, commander Pedro Pires, opens up in Monday on the second week of October the natural park of Island of Fogo.
The objective of natural park is the creation of conditions for a sustained administration of natural resources Fogo’s high lands in an area of 70 square kilometers approximately, including the Bordeira, Chã das Caldeiras and Pico Novo
.
The conservation of natural resources - endemic plants - the human presence and the cultural aspects always guided the creation of the park, which was financed by the Germany Agency of Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in value of two million marcos (Germany currency).
The natural park, which has been functioning effectively also has promoted the formation of tourist guide, swing fashion courses and public attendants, toward development of echologic tourism and operation of the population.
Now there is a course for the formation in the area of (English and French languages for the tourist guide and for those who explore the habitation tourism..
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