Forest Literacy in Vila Nova de Famalicão

Forest Literacy in School

Didáxis – Vale de São Cosme – Vila Nova de Famalicão

On May 21, LPN, through the Forest Literacy project, conducted another field trip, starting a series of outings with six schools in the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão.

As part of their citizenship class, the students from class 7.1 of Didáxis School visited Penedo da Moura with their teacher Maria João Cerqueira, a teacher from LPN, a technician from the Environmental Education Office and an archaeologist from the Vila Nova de Famalicão City Hall, and a member of the staff from the Trail Penedo da Moura.

The program consisted of a hike of approximately 3kms between paths and rural houses, pond areas, forest trails culminating with a climb to the top of Penedo da Moura, a place of geological, historical, archaeological, and ethnographic interest where you can see an excellent panorama of the region.

Along the way, the students filled in the LPN guidebook and asked the teacher and the head of the Archaeology office some questions.  At the same time, they observed and described aspects of the local flora and fauna, raising awareness of the importance and conservation of the native forest in connection with the cultural aspects of history and archeology.

Photo: Parish council of Mogege.

The rocky outcrop of the Moura crag consisting of granites (classified as Granito de Eiriz: medium grained monzogranite with a porphyroid tendency - presence of megacrysts in a lower grained, two-mica granular matrix, sometimes with disseminated sulfides) was partially cut for the implantation of a granite processing company and several notches are visible in the granite of the site. Some of these notches were apparently caused by rain erosion and others were caused by the attempt to cut the outcrop.

Penedo da Moura (Aspects of Erosion of Granite) - These resemble drawings that remind us of a bowl, a plate, a fork, a spoon and a bed. Ancient people say that this is proof that the Moors lived there and all these utensils are vestiges left by them.

Our ancestors also tell us that Penedo da Moura is also associated with several legends, namely that an enchanted Moor still lives there and uses the objects drawn on it: a bowl, a fork, a spoon and a bed. Of archaeological value, the site of Penedo da Moura presents excellent conditions for defense and visibility where all around the rock there seems to have been a containment wall or rampart, which is currently more evident to the southeast, although it has already been demolished. The overthrown areas provide plenty of archaeological material. By the type of settlement and the traces found it seems to have been a lookout post.

Finally, at the Santa Marinha Square, in Mogege, the Parish Council offered a small outdoor snack with small gifts allusive to the object of the visit. At the end, a special thanks to CMVNF and to the Mogege Parish Council that collaborated for another excellent outing of the LPN's Forest Literacy Project.

Photo: Parish council of Mogege.