The Regional Director for the Environment defended in Horta today that the Azores' protected areas "can become a brand and bring added value" for regional products.

Hernâni Jorge spoke at the presentation ceremony of "Mel do Parque" (honey); this specific honey is being produced by the beekeepers from Faial Farmers' Association in Monte da Guia Protected Landscape.

The Regional Director emphasised the "great importance" the Azorean Government attaches to this type of initiatives and products. The government official stressed that they demonstrate that economic activities and environmental protection do not have to necessarily follow "opposite ways"; in fact, they can be "developed together."

"Mel do Parque" is the second product produced in Faial Natural Park under the Partner for Sustainable Development, a programme developed by the Regional Directorate for the Environment.

The bee farm was established in 2012. In the first year, it registered a production of 70 kg of high quality honey.

Questioned on the possible creation of new products, the Regional Director for the Environment said that the challenge of bringing projects and initiatives has been launched to the programme's partners and stressed that all initiatives will be naturally "encouraged and promoted."

In this context, Hernâni Jorge stated that the Regional Directorate for the Environment and the Island Natural Parks will be "fully available to promote, support, disseminate and foster these initiatives as well as local productions within the Region's protected areas."

For Hernâni Jorge, the production of "Mel do Parque" also evidences that producers and the governmental department overseeing the area of environment "can create and develop brands as well as products with economic value" in the context environmental promotion, "which otherwise would be difficult to happen."

The programme Partner for Sustainable Development has one hundred partners in the Azores; a third of them are located on the island of Faial. This initiative aims to encourage the involvement of economic and social agents, generate a multiplier effect with positive impact on the local economy and boost the creation of products that promote the sustainable use of the Natural Parks' resources.