Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change delivers a maritime vessel to the Corvo Island Environment Service to support the preservation of the environment and nature conservation

June 30, 2021

Yesterday, the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change delivered a semi-rigid vessel to the Environmental Service of Corvo, under the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, the first integrated project approved in Portugal and the largest nature conservation project in the Azores.

In the delivery session, Alonso Miguel mentioned that, in addition to this one, another 3 vessels were delivered, on the islands of Santa Maria, Graciosa and São Jorge.

According to the Regional Secretary, "these vessels aim to better enable the Services of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change and increase the capacity for action in the preservation of the environment and nature conservation", fulfilling the Regional Government's strategic objective of strengthening operational means available to Park Rangers and the Regional Environmental Inspection.

These vessels ensure a set of priority works under the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, namely in terms of the restoration of habitats for seabirds in islets and, within the scope of the pilot action for the prevention of introduction, early warning and rapid response to new invasive exotic flora species that may threaten the conservation of species and habitats protected by the Habitats and Birds Directives.

It should be noted that the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project has a duration of 9 years and represents an investment of around 20 million euros, 60% co-financed by the European Union, covering the 9 islands of the Azores archipelago and with the objective of recovering the conservation status of 13 habitats and 24 species protected by the Habitats and Birds Directive, as well as the dissemination of these objectives for greater awareness and environmental education.

© Government of the Azores