Application of Nature-Based Solutions in the Fundão Stream

July 10, 2025

The LIFE BEETLES project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, has been intervening, under action C.4, in the Lajes da Flores streams to improve the habitat of the project's target species: the Tharpus floresensis, commonly known as the wood rattlesnake, on the island of Flores.

In Fundão Stream, the work is centred on creating habitat restoration pockets, which, in the long term, will enable the establishment of an ecological corridor between the intervention areas on the plateau of the island of Flores and the peri-urban area of Lajes.

In addition to controlling invasive species and planting endemic trees and native herbaceous plants, we would like to highlight the improvement of access between the restoration pockets today.

To this end, we have implemented Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), which make it possible to utilise endogenous resources and plant remains resulting from the clearing of the stream bed. At the same time, these structures help stabilise the bed and minimise the impact of torrential run-off and landslides along the banks.

Find out more about the LIFE BEETLES project at www.lifebeetlesazores.com.