One and a half million Euros is amount to be invested by the Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Science, Technology and Infrastructures (SRCTE), in the landscape integration project of the regional road network this year.

José Contente participated in an initiative to plant medium and large trees by the Fenais da Luz regional road in the municipality of Ponta Delgada on Tuesday. At the occasion, the Regional Secretary stressed that this is an operation that is being carried out in several sections of the road network on S. Miguel, promoted by the Regional Directorate for Infrastructures and Inland Transports of the SRCTE: “we are reinforcing the plantation of trees by the side of the roads and this action not only includes trees, but also shrubs and herbaceous species.

The Secretary stressed that nearly 2,200 trees were planted only in 2009, 700 shrubs and more than 52 thousand herbaceous species. This year, we have already spent 57 thousand Euros on trees, most of which came from the seedling nursery of the SRCTE and the Nordeste Forest Services. The remaining specimens were acquired in the local market.

José Contente reiterated this action as a priority of the Azorean Government for the year 2010 in order to return the scenic landscape to the regional roads, thus turning them into tourism icons.

“We will reinforce the landscape integration of picnic areas, leisure areas and viewpoints so that regional roads may preserve this scenic landscape as visiting cards and function as pleasant and recreational areas for all those who pass by them,” added the Secretary.

For the current plantation season, the SRCTE has acquired shrubs and large trees, in a total of 535 specimens to be planted in the roadside and gardens.

Unfortunately, the Secretary alerted that “we are repeatedly confronted with the theft of the new specimens planted by the roads; if this situation did not occur, they would certainly be true gardens.”

Responding to the concerns of the environmentalists, who blame the construction of the toll-free roads for the cutting of trees, José Contente explained that the balance is positive each year, this is, there are more trees planted than those that are cut, and that one third of which are still replanted in other places.

“The works of the toll-free road have uncovered the vegetation, but the species will be rapidly replanted alongside the new road, an effort and an investment that Government is undertaking across the region,” said the Secretary.

Planting actions are taking place in several areas of S. Miguel Island at the present moment, particularly in the Capelas regional road, the old road to Ribeira Grande, the 21st Century Park,  Ribeira Quente, the road section between Vila do Nordeste   and the Ponta do Sossego Viewpoint and also in the road section between Arrastadouros and Lombo Gordo.