LIFE BEETLES with 1.8 million Euro investment on the islands of Pico, Terceira and Flores
The Regional Secretary for Energy, Environment and Tourism highlighted the investment in nature conservation through LIFE BEETLES. With an allocation of 1.8 million Euros, it is aimed at increasing beetle populations and the distribution areas as well as at improving the state of three endemic beetles (Tarphius floresensis, Pseudanchomenus aptinoides and Trechus terrabravensis). These species are considered "Critically Endangered" due to habitat loss as a result of the land use and the impact arising from the proliferation of invasive species on the islands of Pico, Terceira and Flores.
Marta Guerreiro spoke in São Roque do Pico at the signing of a nature conservation agreement between the Town Council and the Regional Directorate for the Environment under the scope of this project.
“This agreement stems from the fact that four of the eight plots covered by conservation actions under the LIFE BEETLES project on the island of Pico are owned by the Municipality of São Roque do Pico, which, from the very first hour, welcome the project and made itself available to collaborate with it," stressed the government official.
“The intervention in these four plots located near Caiado Lake, an area where important habitats of the aforementioned endemic beetle are found, is fundamental to the success of the project. With the planned renaturation actions, it will contribute to the recovery of habitats and improvement of water retention and infiltration in the lake,” added Marta Guerreiro.
The Regional Secretary also noted that “another goal of this nature conservation agreement concerns the promotion of environmental volunteering under the LIFE BEETLES conservation actions, besides environmental education and awareness-raising actions, with the involvement of the municipality and the community.”
On the occasion, Marta Guerreiro stated that the Regional Government is currently “working with the European Commission in the process of reviewing an integrated LIFE project dedicated to climate change (LIFE IP ClimAZ)," which is expected to “be approved during the month of August.”
The Secretary for the Environment portfolio added that “a summary note is being prepared on the application for a new LIFE project dedicated to the conservation of invertebrates (molluscs) on the island of Santa Maria, which will be submitted to the European Commission until July 16."
According to the government official, the growing investment in nature conservation policies "has been accompanied by the approval of important projects co-financed by the European Union in addition to the regional financial envelope for structural programmes."
In this context, Marta Guerreiro recalled that the Region is currently implementing “three LIFE projects, coordinated by the Regional Directorate for the Environment, corresponding to a direct investment of almost 23 million Euros."