On 21 May 2022, the Portuguese team of the LIFE FLUVIAL project (LIFE16 NAT/ES/000771) of the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (Centre for Forestry Studies) joined the celebrations of the Natura 2000 Network Day and the 30th anniversary of the LIFE programme with an awareness day for the local population of the parishes covered by the Protected Landscape of the Bertiandos and São Pedro de Arcos Lagoons, in Ponte de Lima (Portugal). The initiative was attended by 11 participants representing the Municipality of Ponte de Lima, the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, the Parish Councils of Estorãos, São Pedro d’Arcos and Correlhã, MOLIMA (Movimento para a Defesa do Rio Lima) and APACRA (Associação Portuguesa dos Criadores de Bovinos de Raça Minhota) as well as a local landowner.
The LIFE FLUVIAL project – Improvement and sustainable management of river corridors in the Iberian Atlantic Region (https://www.lifefluvial.eu/es/) brings together 8 entities, including universities, public bodies, public companies and non-profit organisations from Portugal and Spain, led by the University of Oviedo and coordinated in Portugal by the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (University of Lisbon). The project is 75% co-financed by the LIFE programme, the only financial instrument of the European Union (EU) exclusively dedicated to the environment and climate action. In Portugal, LIFE FLUVIAL is being implemented in the Rio Lima Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (PTCON0020), which is part of the Natura 2000 Network, an ecological network of protected areas for the conservation of the most endangered species and habitats in the European Union.
The event started at around 9:15 am at the Environmental Interpretation Centre of the Bertiandos and São Pedro de Arcos Lagoons (coordinates: 41°45’52.48 “N / 8°38’33.26 “W). After the reception of the participants, followed the welcome session by Eng. Gonçalo Rodrigues, Councillor of the Municipality of Ponte de Lima for: Environment and Green Spaces | Sport, Leisure and Youth | Forests and Biodiversity | Public Works. The LIFE FLUVIAL team will continue the session with a brief presentation on the Natura 2000 Network, the LIFE programme and the actions developed within the project. Around 9:50, a field visit to the LIFE FLUVIAL intervention areas will follow to observe the work carried out and the results obtained, culminating the programme with a snack.
Contacts: cef.isa.life@gmail.com
