At the end of September, the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, presented an update on the conservation and ecological restoration work currently underway on Santa Maria, during a meeting of the Island Nature Park Advisory Board.

This participation forms part of Action F4 of the project, which provides for organising Advisory Board meetings on the various islands of the Azores. These bodies aim to monitor the management and implementation of the project’s actions, while promoting the involvement of local partners and stakeholders in the conservation of nature and biodiversity.

During the meeting, the main results of the ecological restoration work carried out on the island were presented. At Ponta do Castelo, 2,739 specimens of nine native and endemic herbaceous species were planted, including Aichryson santamariensis, Crithmum maritimum, Ammi seubertianum, Lotus azoricus, Limonium vulgare, Frankenia pulverulenta, Azorina vidalii and Euphorbia azorica.

A report was also presented on the progress of the restoration work in the area affected by the collapse of a slope at Ponta do Castelo, following the heavy rains of October 2023. With technical support from the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory (LREC), the team implemented a pilot natural engineering solution, reconstructing the slope with wooden logs to stabilise the ground. Work to restore access to the site is still ongoing, and the necessary safety conditions have now been met.

In the Salto area, the population of Euphorbia santamariae – a species endemic exclusively to the island of Santa Maria – was bolstered to support its long-term conservation.

In the Ilhéu da Vila Nature Reserve, work to control invasive species and introduce endemic flora is beginning to yield positive results. The Nature Park’s operational team’s interventions have improved the conservation status of natural habitats, with the effects of the recovery already visible on the slopes. The Volunteer Fire Brigade’s contribution was also highlighted; their collaboration has been essential to carrying out the work at that site.

The LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project will continue to carry out conservation and ecological restoration work on Santa Maria, contributing to the recovery of natural ecosystems and the enhancement of the island’s natural heritage. With the financial support of the LIFE Programme of the European Union.