In early October, a team of field staff and technicians from the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, in collaboration with the Pico Environment and Climate Action Service, installed a wooden footway on the Caminho dos Burros to protect natural habitats and promote a more sustainable use of this walking trail.

The work was carried out as part of Action C14.1 – Integrated assessment and mitigation of the negative impacts of tourism on nature trails within the Azores’ Natura 2000 Network, which aims to reconcile enjoying nature with conserving natural values.

The Caminho dos Burros crosses the Montanha do Pico, Prainha e Caveiro Special Area of Conservation (SAC), as well as the Mistério da Prainha Nature Reserve and the Zona Central do Pico Protected Landscape Area. This area is of high ecological value, notably because of peatland habitats, which are essential for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem water regulation.

To protect these sensitive habitats and provide better conditions for visitors, a wooden footway approximately 40 metres long has been installed, divided into four sections in the wettest parts of the trail. The structure helps to minimise the impact of trampling, thereby contributing to the preservation of the area’s natural features.

The footway also helps conserve endemic flora by encouraging visitors to stay on the officially designated route, preventing secondary tracks and the degradation of surrounding vegetation.

In this way, the project supports more responsible use of the natural environment, balancing the visitor experience with the protection of the habitats and species that justify conserving this area. With the financial support of the LIFE Programme of the European Union.