The Final Conference of the LIFE BEETLES project took place on Terceira island at the end of September, and was attended by the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel.
Over two days, around 95 participants had the opportunity to attend various presentations on topics related to nature conservation, monitoring and environmental education. On the second day, there were field visits to the project’s intervention areas, where the main results achieved were presented:
Management of invasive species
- Removal of 462 tonnes of invasive flora, particularly Kahili Ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) on the island of Flores;
- Monitoring of 211 hectares to identify and control invasive species.
Habitat restoration
- Conversion of pastureland on the island of Pico, with the planting of 11,200 endemic trees, contributing to improved water retention in the watershed;
- Conversion of two eucalyptus plantations on the island of Terceira, with the removal of more than 7,000 eucalyptus trees and the planting of around 10,000 native trees.
Recovery of target species
- Population increase of:
o 50% for the Trechus terrabravevensis
o 60% for the Pseudanchomenus aptinoides
o 200% for the Ironclad Beetle (Tharphius floresensis)
Community involvement
- 940 volunteers participated in planting 6,600 endemic trees
- More than 2,400 people were involved in environmental awareness activities
- Around 3,700 students participated in educational activities
Were you unable to watch the event live?
The recording is available on our website or on the Azores Nature Parks YouTube channel.
