The Regional Secretariat of Natural Resources promotes a public consultation to collect suggestions and contributions for the amendments to the Land Management Plan of Protected Landscape of Regional Interest of Pico Vineyard Culture (POPPVIP). The consultation period takes place from today until October 17.

"According to the decree published on Thursday, citizens and entities can make suggestion and submit question that might be considered under the procedures to amend the Plan," said the Regional for the Environment.

During a visit to a vineyard undergoing a recovery intervention in the Protected Landscape of Pico Vineyard Culture, Hernâni Jorge also revealed that the Regional Directorate for the Environment will promote several actions in order to hear the population and public and private public entities with interests that fall under the scope of POPPVIP.

Several meetings will be held with municipalities and a public session is scheduled for October 2 at the Technical Office of the Protected Landscape of Pico Vineyard Culture in Lajido de Santa Luzia, Pico Island.

One should recall that POPPVIP was created with the aim of protecting environmental and landscape values, preserving biodiversity and promoting the sustainable development of Pico Island, based on the strategic goals of recovering and preserving the traditional landscape of vineyard culture in "currais" (plots protected by stone walls) on the island of Pico.

Given the changes in the economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions and the conclusions presented in 1st Assessment Report on POPPVIP, particularly with regard to the rules and respective mapping, it is necessary to make some amendments to the Plan; however, these amendments cannot interfere with the goals underlying its inception.

For Hernâni Jorge, the vineyard he visited in the village of Candelária, municipality of Madalena, "is a good example of a recovery intervention in progress."

"Since the establishment of incentive mechanisms, the contracts signed for the recovery of vineyards cover an area over 70 hectares and assure the maintenance of an area exceeding 200 hectares. The measure has halted the abandonment of vineyards and contributed to the consolidation of a vineyard landscape with unique characteristics and a growing economic and social relevance," stated the Regional Director.