Ponta do Castelo, on the island of Santa Maria, has been the scene of crucial ecological restoration work under action C3.2 – In-situ conservation, as part of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action.
This area is particularly significant not only because of its natural value but also because it was the first area in the Azores to benefit from a Nature Custody Agreement. This pioneering approach at the regional level promotes conservation through voluntary cooperation between public bodies and private landowners, ensuring active protection of the natural values present.
Since 2024, several plantations have been carried out using native species propagated in greenhouses by the Santa Maria Environment and Climate Action Service (SAACSMA):
- Ammi seubertianum, planted in October 2024, which is already flowering, looking lush and healthy;
- Aichryson santamariense, planted in January 2025, has also flowered, and some plants have started to fruit.
At the same time, direct sowing was carried out on 18 and 19 December 2024, with successful germination of the following species:
- Plantago coronopus, Daucus carota, Atriplex prostrata, Crithmum maritimum, Festuca petraea, Ammi seubertianum, Lotus azoricus and Azorina vidalii.
In the SAACSMA’s greenhouse, in the shaded area, there are currently in production:
- 377 specimens of Crithmum maritimum
- 97 specimens of Limonium vulgare
- 225 specimens of Azorina vidalii
- 231 specimens of Lotus azoricus
The successful production of Ammi seubertianum and Lotus azoricus has enabled:
– The planting of 280 specimens of Ammi seubertianum and 154 of Lotus azoricus in the Baía de São Lourenço Protected Landscape Area;
– The provision of 154 Lotus azoricus and 134 Ammi seubertianum to the local Public Works delegation for plant enrichment of a new viewpoint.
These advances represent another decisive step towards the ecological recovery of the natural habitats on the island of Santa Maria and the strengthening of native flora populations – many of which are protected and a priority for conservation.
