Seed collection on the island of Flores reveals major contribution to the conservation of our biodiversity

Oct. 7, 2022

Part of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project’s mission is to reinforce the populations of threatened species in the Archipelago, thus protecting our natural heritage’s biodiversity and richness.

Every year, seeds are collected throughout the Region to strengthen the populations in the different intervention areas of this project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change.

Through their propagation, we can ensure genetic variability and maintenance of the most fragmented populations with few individuals.

This year, we are pleased to announce that the seed collection season on Flores proved to be a success, having collected 17 samples of half of the target species of flora on the island.

The seeds of woody species, except for the Juniper (Juniperus brevifolia), are delivered to the care of the Pico Island Forestry Services, which has the necessary conditions to generate the planting, and later returned to the island of origin for planting.

This planting is introduced in intervention areas for habitat restoration where invasive species were previously removed to immediately occupy the space with native and structuring species, avoiding their reoccupation by Invasive Alien Species.

So far, among all the species targeted by the project existing on the island of Flores, a considerable amount of seeds has already been preserved, namely: Ammi trifoliatum, Ivy-leafed Fern (Asplenium hemionitis), Chaerophyllum azoricum, Buckthorn (Frangula azorica), Juniper (Juniperus brevifolia), Azorean Laurel (Laurus azorica), Azorean Forget-me-not (Myosotis azorica), Scabiosa nitens, Vaccinium cylindraceum, and Laurustinus (Viburnum treleasei).

This measure is carried out in all the Azorean islands, under Actions C3.1 “Ex-situ conservation”, C3.2 “In-situ conservation” and C4.1 “Best practice for terrestrial habitat conservation”.

Find out more about the project at www.lifeazoresnatura.eu/en/.