ENVIRONMENT WEEK: LOULÉ PRESENT AT INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON BIODIVERSITY
During Environment Week, which took place from June 2nd to 6th, the Municipality of Loulé participated in the XVII International Seminar “Management and Conservation of Biodiversity”, which took place in Vale do Lobo, under the theme “Habitat Restoration and Vegetation Management”.
This initiative featured renowned researchers from several Mediterranean countries, including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Malta, experts in habitat restoration and vegetation management. Municipality technicians joined together to present the main projects underway in the municipality's protected areas.
On June 5th, the organization took visitors on a geobotanical excursion through the municipality of Loulé, with an itinerary that followed from the coastal strip to the Algarve's Barrocal region. The route passed through two of the municipality's most biodiversity-rich areas: the Rocha da Pena Local Protected Landscape and Nave do Barão, the latter currently undergoing classification. Researchers highlighted the significant importance of these sites in terms of protected flora species and natural and semi-natural habitats of the Natura 2000 Network, which are important to preserve.
Throughout Environment Week, the Environmental Center also organized several educational and awareness-raising activities aimed at strengthening the connection between the community and nature. As part of the Project Andorin, promoted in partnership with the Vita Nativa association, students mapped swallow and swift nests, learned to identify these birds and even built artificial nests to support their conservation.
In the activity “Birds in Ria Formosa", the diversity of birds that inhabit this unique ecosystem was explored, raising awareness among participants about the importance of wetlands. The "Battle against the Invaders” led students to roll up their sleeves and help control invasive alien species, such as the beach willow (Carpobrotus edulis), reinforcing the importance of protecting native habitats. Already in “Banding the Future – Birds in Protected Areas“, a scientific ringing session was held at the Foz do Almargem and Trafal Local Nature Reserve, where participants were able to closely observe several bird species and understand the value of this work for the study and conservation of birdlife. Finally, the Project Bioscenarios added color and movement to the week, with creative rehearsals that combined dance, nature and artistic expression, allowing participants a new way of relating to the environment.
