The area was classified as a protected landscape on 11 December 2000, by regulatory decree 19/2000, with its natural value justifying its attributions, such as: The protected zone includes an area of 346 hectares (3.46 km2) situated in the municipality of Ponte de Lima, accessible directly by the Estrada Nacional E.N.202 and the Auto-estrada A27.

Bertiandos and São Pedro de Arcos is an important space for the conservation of nature and biodiversity, resulting in the presence of a diverse biotope associated with a humid continental zone, that includes habitats and priority species conservation.

There is an elevated number of flora species registered (508) that include rare and threatened Iberian endemics.

Of these, 25 species of terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates are classified as priority of conservation and associated with humid zones.

These resources include: Environmental Interpretative Centre; network of pedestrian trails; shelters; bungalows; campsite; and pedagogical farm.