29 of the 147 identified habitats in the European Union are located in the Azores. The archipelago has 6512 identified species, of which 450 are endemic. For Álamo Meneses, the Region “is a vast repository of biodiversity in Europe.” The Regional Secretary for the Environ spoke at the presentation of the Natural Park of Santa Maria at a ceremony presided over by the Regional Government during the statutory visit to this island.

In order to protect biodiversity and nature conservation, the Government has decided to create a group of sites, which are then grouped into natural parks. Ten National Parks were created in the Azores, nine on each island and an Ocean Park that covers nature conservation areas located beyond the territorial sea.

According to Álamo Meneses, “six parks have been legally formalised and the creation of remaining parks, located on Terceira, S. Jorge and Flores, will soon be formalised. The Ocean Park of the Azores is at an advance stage of structuring, with the areas to be protected, two of which have been already approved by the European Union and the third will be submitted for approval shortly. In this context, the park will become the cornerstone of nature conservation on the island.”

The Natural Park of Santa Maria was created by the Regional Legislative Decree no. 47/2008/A of November 7, following the classification guidelines of IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, put into effect in the Regional Legislative Decree no. 15/2007/A of June 25 that establishes the legal classification and management of the Regional Network of Protected Areas of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

The Natural Park of Santa Maria allows management of the territory, focusing on the conservation of biodiversity and geodiversity as well as on the sustainable use of natural resources in order to boost tourism and the well-being of the local population.

The park includes 13 protected areas, including the nature reserve of Formigas Islets, nature reserve of Vila Islet, natural monument of Pedreira do Campo, the Figueiral and Prainha; several protected habitats and species located on the Southwest coast, Ponta do Castelo, Baía do Cura, Pico Alto; the protected landscapes of Barreiro da Faneca, Baía de São Lourenço and Baía da Maia and the protected areas for resource management of Baía de São Lourenço, Costa Norte and Costa Sul.

The implementation of the Natural Park estimates various conservation measures. Several actions are already taking place, such as bird monitoring on the Vila Islet as well as the actions under the Regional Plan for the Eradication and Control of Invasive Species in Sensitive Areas (PRECEFIAS) with an intervention area of nearly 25000 m2, covering the Barreiro da Faneca and Pico Alto. This programme aims to eradicate of the species Pittosporum undulatum, common gorge (Ulex europaeus) and Kahili Ginger (Hedychium gardneranum).

At the level of visitation, the strategy includes the maximisation of the existing structures, mainly the promotion of information and awareness raising actions for the natural heritage of the Island at the Dalberto Pombo Environmental Interpretation Centre as well as the creation of pedestrian trails that allow visitors to know the natural and cultural landscape of the oldest Azorean Islands.

The film “Império dos fósseis” (Empire of fossils) by José Serra, which emphasises the importance of geodiversity of the oldest island of the archipelago, was exhibited at the presentation ceremony of the Natural Park of Santa Maria.