47 Azorean parishes awarded Eco-Parish Programme Award for Excellence

May 7, 2026

On Wednesday, the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, distinguished 47 Azorean parish councils that have stood out for their performance and contribution to environmental conservation, at an award-delivery ceremony held in Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel.

According to the government official, “the Eco-Parish Programme plays a fundamental role as a strategic tool for cooperation between the Regional Government and the parish councils in the cleaning and maintenance of public spaces, including watercourses and the coastline, involving local communities in environmental awareness and education initiatives.”

Alonso Miguel emphasised that “this contribution extends beyond the cleaning, sanitation and improvement of our public spaces, helping to consolidate the Region’s image of sustainability and, above all, ensuring the safety and well-being of the Azorean population."

“In fact, clean public spaces and unobstructed watercourses, combined with good environmental practices among the local population, are key factors in reducing the risks associated with various natural hazards, such as floods, flooding or landslides, to which the Azores are increasingly exposed and vulnerable as a result of climate change,”  stated the government official. In this regard, he added that “preventive and effective action is crucial to avoiding significant material and financial losses, but above all, to strengthening safety and protection for the Azorean people."

The Regional Secretary noted that “the Regional Government has been increasing the funds allocated to the Eco-Parish Programme over the years, intending to decisively empower and strengthen Parish Councils so that they can firmly embrace this important and demanding mission.”

The Regional Secretary noted that, “in just five years, between 2021 and 2025, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action has allocated about €4.4 million to parish councils under this Programme. This is a substantially higher figure than that seen in the previous nine years, since 2012, when the programme was launched."

Alonso Miguel emphasised that “this very significant financial investment, combined with commitment, dedication and sense of purpose of parish councils in effectively addressing these challenges, has led to the success of the Eco-Parish Programme, as demonstrated by the results achieved over recent years.”

Alonso Miguel revealed that “in 2025, specifically, 126 parishes participated in the Eco-Parish programme, whose joint efforts enabled the monitoring and intervention along 240 km of watercourses and approximately 175 km of coastline across the nine islands of the archipelago.”

According to the Regional Secretary, “as a result of these efforts, it was possible to ensure the removal and disposal of over a thousand tonnes of waste dumped in public spaces to appropriate final destinations, as well as to carry out 487 environmental awareness and education initiatives.”

“These are, in fact, extraordinary figures, which clearly demonstrate the importance of this programme,” he stated.

The government official highlighted that “47 parish councils from eight of the nine islands of the Azores were awarded a prize for excellence for their outstanding work in 2025 in the areas of cleaning, maintenance and environmental awareness, as well as for organising clean-up initiatives in public spaces involving the local community.”

Alonso Miguel noted that “in addition to the award for excellence, an additional prize amounting to €1,000 was also awarded to each winning parish council, doubling the amount previously awarded, representing a total investment of €47,000. This will undoubtedly provide an additional incentive for parishes to strive for this level  of excellence.”

Alonso Miguel concluded by emphasising that “the delivery of these awards for excellence is, therefore, a fitting recognition of the efforts undertaken by each of the winning parish councils, as well as the dedication shown to this cause by their respective communities. It also reflects our gratitude and respect for the collective work—based on community engagement and shared responsibility—that has been carried out.”

The following parish councils have been awarded the Eco-Parish Programme Award for Excellence for 2025: Ponta Delgada, Flores Island; Praia do Norte, Ribeirinha, Capelo, Salão, Praia de Almoxarife, and Pedro Miguel, Faial Island; São Mateus, Candelária, Madalena, Prainha, Piedade, and Calheta de Nesquim, Pico Island; Rosais, Norte Pequeno, and  Santo Antão, São Jorge Island; Santa Cruz da Graciosa, Graciosa Island; Relva, Fajã de Cima, Conceição, Ribeirinha, Maia, Santa Cruz, Ribeira Seca, Calhetas, Matriz, São Brás, and Santana, São Miguel Island; Altares, Doze Ribeiras, Feteira, Vila do  Porto Judeu, Raminho, Ribeirinha, São Bartolomeu de Regatos, São Bento, Vila de São Mateus da Calheta, Terra Chã, Vila de São Sebastião, Agualva, Fonte do Bastardo, Fontinhas, Porto Martins, São Brás, Vila das Lajes, and Vila Nova, Terceira Island; and also Santo Espírito, Santa Maria Island.