The Nature Park of Faial (), or simply Faial Nature Park (PNF), developed from the intention of better managing the protected areas of the island of Faial, and was instituted by the Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e do Mar () of the Autonomous Regional Government of the Azores. It covers approximately 17% of the island, classified under the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Nature Reserve designation (which includes the Caldeira, Morro de Castelo Branco and Caldeirinhas do Monte da Guia), Protected Areas for the management of habitat or species (Cabeço do Fogo, Capelinhos, Costa Noroeste, Varadouro and Castelo Branco), Protected Landscape Areas (Monte da Guia and the central zone of the island) and Protected Areas for Management of Resources (Faial-Pico Channel, Castelo Branco, Capelinhos and Cedros). History The Faial Nature Park was established by legislative decree No.15/2007/A, on 25 June 2007, which reformulated the juridical classification, management and administration of the Azorean areas of protection. The public presentation of the Nature Park occurred on the 18 June 2011, in a ceremony that included the Regional Secretary of the Environment and Oceans () Álamo Mensese, as well as other invited guests from business, tourism and environmental groups. After being highlighted by the Tourism Association of Portugal (), as a national candidate for the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) award, the European Commission confirmed this national distinction during an award ceremony on 27 June 2011. The EDEN awards (established in 2007) is a European Union initiative to promote models of sustainable development within the European Community. Held on board a Faialense OceanEye ship (permitting its guests the luxury of being able to examine the waters around Faial), the small event included representatives of the Regional Secretariate for the Environment and Oceans (), including Álamo Meneses, and director of the Nature Park, Noão Melo, in addition to other European dignitaries. Geography The Faial Nature Park is actually a dispersed reserve that encompasses several individual areas of protection. Classified areas Nature Reserves Those areas classified as Nature Reserves (): [FAI01] Nature Reserve of the Caldeirinhas (), this area, includes the remnants of two submerged craters that are open to the sea on the ancient volcanic cone of Monta da Guia (on the south coast of Faial, adjacent to the city of Horta); it is a nesting area for both migratory and local seabirds, and includes only the small bay open to the Atlantic