The town councils of the island of Pico have reinforced their commitment to nature conservation as part of the awareness and control campaign for the invasive species Cortaderia selloana (pampas grass), promoted by the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action.

In São Roque do Pico, the dissemination of information material has led to increased monitoring and data collection on the presence of this invasive plant. The initiative identified a cluster of pampas grass in a public garden on Rua de Santo António, which was quickly removed by municipal services. The local authority is now actively monitoring the situation to prevent further occurrences of this highly invasive species.

In Madalena, actions to remove specimens of pampas grass have also recently been carried out, consolidating the town council’s role in protecting local ecosystems.

These initiatives are examples of good environmental management practices and demonstrate local authorities’ commitment to implementing the Regional Strategy to Combat Invasive Species, thereby contributing significantly to the preservation of biodiversity in the Azores.