Laurel forests are found in the islands of Macaronesia in the eastern Atlantic, in particular the Azores, Madeira Islands, and Canary Islands from 400 to 1200 metres elevation. Trees of the genera Apollonias(Lauraceae), Ocotea (Lauraceae), Persea (Lauraceae), Clethra (Clethraceae), Dracaena (Ruscaceae), and Picconia (Oleaceae) are characteristic. 

The Madeira Islands laurel forest was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

Biological diversity

The Laurel Wood is a forest formation that features a large biological diversity, with a high percentage of unique species of Macaronesia and Madeira. It is par excellence, the original natural forest of Madeira, consists predominantly of trees and evergreen shrubs with dark green, flat leaves.

It has an origin dating back to the Miocene and Pliocene period of the Tertiary period, some 20 million years ago. At that time, covered vast areas in southern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin that have been regressing over time eventually disappear, more specifically at the beginning of the Quaternary due to glaciations in Europe caused a gradual cooling and due to climate change in North Africa that made this most arid region.

It is considered a relic of the Tertiary harboring living things that exist from this period and others that have evolved since then to the present day and its name, Laurel, results from the combination of two terms of Latin laurus and silva mean, respectively, and laurel forest . It is a forest zone in which the most dominant trees belong to the family Lauraceae.

In Madeira Island approximately covers an area of 15,000 hectares (20%) and is located primarily on the north coast, the 300 to 1300m above sea level, and on the south coast persists in some areas of difficult access, 700 to 1200 meters

It is mostly included in the area of the Natural Park of Madeira, which was created in 1982 having as a main objective the protection of this valuable Natural Heritage.

So build up the Levada in nearly inaccessible places, almost all of the island, in the form of channels or narrow aqueducts and many long, that carry water from springs and streams, along the steep slopes. Nowadays, the Levadas are a cultural landmark of Madeira and further are a tourist attraction and is already known internationally.

They have a very important role in the management of water resources and concomitantly provide sustainable enjoyment of the Natural Heritage.

The levadas originated out of the necessity of bringing large amounts of water from the west and northwest of the island to the drier southeast, which is more conducive to habitation and agriculture, such as sugar cane production. In the sixteenth century the Portuguese started building levadas to carry water to the agricultural regions. The most recent were made in the 1940s. Madeira is very mountainous, and building the levadas was often difficult. Many are cut into the sides of mountains, and it was also necessary to dig 25 miles (40 km) of tunnels.

Today the levadas not only supply water to the southern parts of the island, they also provide hydro-electric power. There are more than 1,350 miles (2,170 km) of levadas and they provide a remarkable network of walking paths. Some provide easy and relaxing walks through beautiful countryside, but others are narrow, crumbling ledges where a slip could result in serious injury or death.

A popular levada to hike is the Levada do Caldeirão Verde which continues as the Levada Caldeirão do Inferno. Altogether it is about 23 miles (37 km) long. Along both parts there are long sections which may cause hikers to suffer vertigo; and several tunnels for which flashlights and helmets are essential. The Levada do Caniçal is a much easier walk. This levada runs 7.1 miles (11.4 km) from Maroços to the Caniçal Tunnel. It is known as the mimosa levada because acacias (commonly misnamed mimosas) are found all along the route.