area, primarily identifiable by the barren moonscape and iconic lighthouse were designated for protection and management, and conserves the post-eruption landscape, interdicting reconstruction of homes lost during the event. In addition to the Costa do Nau, the protected area extends to the coast and ocean territory off the coast, surround the base of the volcano; Área Protegida para a Gestão de Habitats ou Espécies Varadouro–Castelo Branco () - this protected area includes the escarpment face of the southern coast, extending from Varadouro to the Morro de Castelo Branco, which are nesting grounds for migratory and marine bird species; Further, and also included in the Capelinhos-Nordoeste-Varadouro region is the Parque Florestal do Capelo (), a region that extends from the central Capelos cape to the coast between Biscoitos and Varadouro used as leisure/recreative forest park. The Geographer Christophe Neff working since 1999 on environmental changes and vegetation dynamics and plant distribution in the different landscapes of the Capelo area, wrote recently in his blog, - that Capelo has considerably changed in the last twenty years, - more tourism, more secondary houses, and more vineyards are now part of the landscape of Capelo. In the same text he remarked, that in 1999 Capelo was a very fare remote area, the End of the world, “Fim do Mundo”, the same name as a bar, that was situated, in Norte Pequeno in the North of Capelo. Climate Capelo has a humid subtropical climate at low altitudes and a wetter oceanic climate at higher altitudes. Human geography In addition to the village of Capelo, at the intersection of the E.R.1-1ª and E.R.3-2ª, the parish includes the localities of Areeiro, Biscoitos, Canto, Cimo da Ribeira, Cruzeiro, Norte Pequeno, Ribeira do Cabo, Rua do Canto, Rua da Igreja and Varadouro. Economy The economy in this region is primarily agriculture-related, with dairy-oriented activities dominating. Meanwhile, owing to the numerous natural monuments in the region (the aforementioned Capelinhos volcano and protected areas), the region regularly sees eco-tourist activities throughout the year, with rural tourism, pedestrian trails and other leisure activities occurring in the areas of Capelo and Varadouro. The parish's southern coast is considered the "spa region" of the island, dominated by a large bay and the black rock cliffs of Varadouro and the Mouro volcanic plug. Discovered in 1889, the warm waters at Varadouro were considered, at the time, one of the best medicinal treatments in the country