Galiza Salgueiral  Walking Trail 

Open every day from 8 am to 7 pm. It crosses two areas with distinct topography and vegetation: the cork oak forest with steeper slopes; and the willow forest corresponding to a lagoon floodplain area. Of particular interest is the willow forest, of great quality and rare in the context of the wetlands of southern Portugal, where it is possible to observe a network of suspended roots (i.e. suspended roots) of unusual size.

It starts in Galicia, next to the water intake hole, and allows visitors to explore a naturalized area occupied by two types of vegetation: the cork oak forest, in the higher area; and the willow forest, in the depressionary area (i.e., the lower area). Highlights include the stilt walkway that runs through the willow forest (Salix atrocinerea), along which you can observe vegetation with unique characteristics and dynamics, dominated by species adapted to periods of immersion and flooding, such as the marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris), the reed (Phragmites australis), the narrow cattail (Typha dominguensis), the marsh lily (Iris pseudacorus), the peach tree (Polygonum persicaria) and the willow (Lythrum salicaria).

Also noteworthy are the observation structures, such as the bird observatory, on the outskirts of the willow grove, or the cork oak vantage point, which provide a view over the open floodplain where several species of birds occur, some of them quite rare in the national or European context, such as the squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides), the purple heron (Ardea purpurea), the black-throated bream (Nycticorax nycticorax), the purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) and the red-billed duck (Netta rufina).