Eucalyptus grove in Furnas do Enxofre gives way to a forest of endemic species with the help of volunteers

Nov. 8, 2023

The TER3 – Furnas do Enxofre intervention area of the LIFE BEETLES project was a former eucalyptus production forest, where alien and invasive species proliferated.

Throughout 2022 and 2023, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change, as part of the LIFE BEETLES project, removed it to convert this area into a native forest, so that in the long term it becomes a favourable habitat, not only for the Ground Beetle (Trechus terrabravensis), but also for many other native and endemic species of fauna and flora.

During September, the first plantations were carried out in the area, totalling 450 new endemic trees, including Azorean Holly (Ilex azorica), Azorean Heather (Erica azorica), Azorean Laurel (Laurus azorica), Azorean Viburnum (Viburnum treleasei) and Azorean Picconia (Picconia azorica). These plantings were carried out with the support of two groups of volunteers: a group of students from Olhar Poente - Associação de Desenvolvimento and the participants of the LIFE BEETLES Technical Workshop, which took place on Terceira island.

Our thanks to all the volunteers!

If you want to be part of the project's volunteer team and contribute to the renaturalisation of this area, sign up for our volunteer pool! Find out more at LIFE BEETLES Project team of volunteers | Life Beetles Azores