Nature Park of Faial

Nature Park of Faial
The caldera floor of Faial's stratovolcano, integrated into the dispersed Parque Natural do Faial
The location of the various protected areas that constitute the Faial Nature Park
LocationHorta, Faial, Central, Azores, Portugal
Coordinates38°34′46″N 28°42′59″W / 38.57944°N 28.71639°W / 38.57944; -28.71639
Length21.20 km (13.17 mi)
Width16.29 km (10.12 mi)
Area173.06 km2 (66.82 sq mi)
Elevation877 m (2,877 ft)
EstablishedDecreto Legislativo Regional 46/2008/A
Named forFaial
OperatorSecretário Regional do Ambiente e do Mar
WebsiteFaial Nature Park

The Nature Park of Faial (Portuguese: Parque Natural do Faial), or simply Faial Nature Park (PNF), developed from the intention of better managing the protected areas of the island of Faial, and was instituted by the Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e do Mar (English: Regional Secretariate for the Environment and Oceans) of the Autonomous Regional Government of the Azores.

It covers approximately 17% of the island, classified under the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Nature Reserve designation (which includes the Caldeira, Morro de Castelo Branco and Caldeirinhas do Monte da Guia), Protected Areas for the management of habitat or species (Cabeço do Fogo, Capelinhos, Costa Noroeste, Varadouro and Castelo Branco), Protected Landscape Areas (Monte da Guia and the central zone of the island) and Protected Areas for Management of Resources (Faial-Pico Channel, Castelo Branco, Capelinhos and Cedros).