The Regional Director for Forest Resources visited today some of the areas within the 60 hectares of public forests on Terceira Island that, having reached the end of their useful life, will be put to public tender. This initiative represents an "opportunity" to "enhance the Region's endogenous resources" and contribute to the "generation of wealth and jobs" in the private sector.

"The management of public forests is an opportunity to promote local products and reinforce the protection of our forest heritage and its reorganisation by regarding it as a relevant factor in the generation of wealth and jobs," said Anabela Isidoro.

During the working visit to public forest stands that will be included in the public tender for the sale of timber on Terceira, the Regional Director added that the reforestation plan for the areas to be cut down is being prepared, followed by the respective environmental impact study.

According to Anabela Isidoro, the cutting and reforestation of forests will be carried out on the island of Terceira Island on an annual basis. These interventions will be an opportunity to reorganise the public forest area in order to protect the soil, water resources and the existing habitats.

In the context of the reforestation actions in public forests, the Government of the Azores promotes this year two public tenders for the sale of timber on the islands of Terceira and São Miguel, covering a total of 161 hectares.

The profitability of the timber sector, a measure included in the Azorean Agenda for Employment Creation and Business Competitiveness, is a strategic project that is being implemented with the aim of promoting the sustained creation of new business opportunities in the area of timber processing and innovation.