Last March, the Santa Maria Island Nature Park Advisory Board met to present the progress of the actions carried out under the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project on the island.
The session featured a presentation by the Director of Santa Maria Environment and Climate Action Service, Dr Rosa Pires, who highlighted the main initiatives implemented to conserve and enhance the island’s natural ecosystems.
Among the actions carried out were:
- Sowing seeds and planting endemic species, accompanied by improvements to the native flora production infrastructure;
- Construction of a support deck on Ilhéu da Vila, essential for monitoring and researching seabirds;
- Removal of invasive species and planting of native species at Ponta do Castelo, reinforcing local biodiversity;
- Construction of palisades to contain soil and combat erosion at Ponta do Castelo in response to a landslide that blocked access to the harbour. LREC analysed the situation and presented an intervention plan;
- Maintenance of the 70 specimens of Euphorbia santamariae in Ribeira do Salto, a species protected by the Habitats Directive.
The participation of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project in the Advisory Boards of the Nature Parks on each island is part of action F4 (Stakeholder Advisory Board) of the project. This is an essential tool for the consultants to monitor the management and implementation of the actions on each island.
