Atalhada orchard expands native seed and plant production
Azores GuideThe Azores government says its experimental orchard in Atalhada will strengthen supplies of native plant material for forest recovery and biodiversity conservation.
The Government of the Azores is reinforcing native seed and plant production through an experimental orchard in Atalhada, in the municipality of Nordeste on São Miguel. Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food António Ventura visited the orchard on 9 October 2026.
The 1.0561-hectare orchard has 2,168 plants from three endemic Azorean forest species: 695 holly plants (Ilex azorica), 988 cedar-of-the-mountain plants (Juniperus brevifolia), and 485 laurel plants (Laurus azorica).
The regional government said the site is intended for the conservation, propagation and enhancement of Azorean forest heritage. It said the stand will strengthen seed production and increase the availability of plant material for propagation and future forest recovery work.
Ventura said investing in endemic and native species supports preservation of the Azorean forest and enhancement of its natural resources. He said the work is also deepening knowledge of the species and improving conditions for producing seeds and plants needed for forest ecosystem recovery and biodiversity conservation.
The initiative also addresses difficulties collecting seeds in natural areas, including inaccessible locations, extreme weather events and animals that feed on flowers and fruits. The Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food has also been developing experimental and monitoring fields to study the forestry potential of native species.
Update — 2026-10-11
The new coverage adds that the Atalhada experimental orchard is located next to the Santo António Nordestinho Forest Guard House in the municipality of Nordeste, on São Miguel.
It also states that concentrating the species in this experimental area creates better conditions to monitor their development, improve technical knowledge and increase seed harvesting, and that this work helps define propagation and forest management practices adapted to the species and to Azorean conditions.
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Azores Guide
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