Alonso Miguel inaugurates the recovery and remodelling works of the Traditional Trails of Fajã de Santo Cristo

March 22, 2023

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change, Alonso Miguel, presided on Tuesday at the inauguration ceremony of the contract for the Recovery and Remodelling of the Traditional Trails of Fajã de Santo Cristo on São Jorge island.

“Caldeira de Santo Cristo is one of the most remarkable sites in our Region. A truly special place, with a stunning landscape, marked by unique geomorphology, with an enormous wealth of rare habitat, endemic vegetation and resident and migratory birdlife,” said the governor at the occasion.

“Given the extraordinary natural, landscape and cultural values concentrated in Fajã de Santo Cristo, it is no wonder that it is covered by different protection instruments, being classified as a Protected Landscape Area, part of the São Jorge Nature Park, as a Special Area of Conservation under the Natura 2000 network, as a Ramsar site and one of the 13 internationally important wetlands in the Region, as well as a priority geosite, with national and international relevance, within the Azores UNESCO Global Geopark. Furthermore, it is a core element of the Fajãs de São Jorge Biosphere Reserve, which recently celebrated its seventh anniversary”, he added.

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Change highlighted that “taking into account the uniqueness of this place, it is natural that it is the target of a growing demand for visitors, and it is essential to find a balance between socio-economic development and the need to conserve its ecosystems and natural values so that the community can continue to benefit from this relic, ensuring its sustainability”.

“That is precisely the purpose of these infrastructures, which we inaugurate today, to improve the quality of the existing footpaths in this Fajã and to ensure their full enjoyment and well-being of residents and visitors,” he said.

Within the scope of this project, a total of seven traditional trails in Fajã de Santo Cristo have been recovered and remodelled, with a total length of around 2,200 m and covering an area of 4,400 m2.

In accordance with the local characteristics, priority was given to the paving of the trails in stone paving of the region, in basalt, with a dry trace, and using traditional techniques to promote the effective infiltration and drainage of rainwater to lower levels and adjacent lands, thus ensuring the stability and integrity of the pavement and lands adjacent to these interventions.

According to the Regional Secretary, “this project represents an investment of about 275 thousand euros, by the Regional Government of the Azores, executed by the Calheta City Hall, under an ARAAL contract, fulfilling an old expectation of the community, improving the conditions of this space, responsibly and consistently with the environmental sustainability guidelines”.

Alonso Miguel also added that “this intervention also represents the implementation of one more of the measures foreseen in the Fajãs da Caldeira de Santo Cristo and Cubres Management Plan, aiming to implement effective measures that allow a more rational management of the use of space and resources, as well as providing these territorial units with a set of infrastructures that allow the improvement of conditions for residents, owners and visitors.”