As part of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, a new monitoring and removal operation targeting the invasive alien species Pueraria lobata (known as kudzu) was carried out on the island of São Miguel in September 2026.

This climbing plant, native to Asia and some Pacific islands, was first detected in the Azores in 2021. Considered one of the most problematic invasive species worldwide, kudzu is characterised by its extremely rapid growth, forming dense canopies that block sunlight and suffocate native vegetation, thereby disrupting ecosystem balance.

During the most recent monitoring action, the species reappeared at the same location where it was initially detected. Despite removal operations carried out in recent years, kudzu continues to return, highlighting the species’ remarkable resilience and the difficulty of ensuring its eradication.

Early detection and timely intervention are essential to limit kudzu’s spread and prevent its expansion into other areas of the territory, thereby averting more significant environmental impacts, as with other invasive alien species already established in the Azores.

The team from the Natural Risk Management Division of the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action carried out the operation, monitored the site, and removed the identified infestations, ensuring an immediate and effective response to control this species.

With the financial support of the LIFE Programme of the European Union.