Set up at the fairground

Town: Esposende
Species: Quercus suber
Estimated age: Individuals of different ages
Interest: Value of the species
Location: 41°32'19.9"N 8°46'43.8"W; 41.538880, -8.778823

The cork oak (Quercus suber) is an emblematic species of Portuguese landscapes, having been one of the first protected trees in the world. It has had protected status since at least 1546, granted by King João III. It is a Mediterranean species that is over 60 million years old and occupies around 700,000 hectares in the Portuguese forest. It is a tree protected by law and any intervention on specimens of this species requires authorisation.

The cork oak is a slow-growing, long-lived tree that successfully withstands harsh climatic conditions, such as high temperatures and water shortages. Its bark, cork, is very important to Portugal's economy. Portugal is proudly the world's largest cork producer.

The cork oak is also Portugal's symbol tree. It was unanimously recognised as such by the Portuguese Parliament in 2011, in recognition of its economic, social and environmental importance to the country.

Sometimes the cork oak is misunderstood and cut down illegally. When creating the new fairground, the municipality of Esposende decided to save and integrate all the existing cork oaks into the space. In short, the cork oak is not just a tree, but a national symbol that represents Portugal's identity, history and nature.

See here all the REMARKABLE TREES in the municipality of Esposende.