Four non-governmental environmental organizations – Almargem, A Rocha, League for the Protection of Nature and Society for the Study of Birds – have just sent a letter to the President of the Republic warning him of the planned mega-enterprise in the Praia Grande/Lagoa area dos Salgados (Silves) and “exhorting him to exercise his high magistracy of influence in order to prevent further this environmental crime”.
In the letter of the four associations, written as part of a broader action group, the signatories begin by drawing attention to the «extraordinary role» of Lagoa dos Salgados in «promoting the Algarve and Portugal as a privileged destination for nature tourism» and stress that, despite "there is sufficient scientific basis to justify its classification, the area remains without any legal status of protection".
Despite this importance, the associations recall that «one more big tourist enterprise (4 beds, golf course), a project approved in 2008, against the rules of the new Protal (2007), under which, and for various reasons, it would not now be approved».
«Should this project come to fruition, it is another extremely important natural value of the Algarve that has its days numbered. And for what? Almost exclusively, of more urban growth and real estate speculation…», guarantee the Almargem, the rock, the LPNs and SPEA in the letter to Cavaco Silva.
«How can one speak of the sustainable development of the Algarve by insisting on a model based solely on concrete, a model repeated to the point of exhaustion and more than outdated, which needs to be definitively stopped?», question the four ONGAs.
«This need is now even more evident given the existence of many thousands of beds to be occupied throughout the Algarve. The argument for the need for more beds in the region, captively associated with the creation of more jobs, is an argument contradicted by the reality that exists even in the place itself: beside Praia Grande, there is already a semi-desert urbanization, the result of the insolvency of a company belonging to the Carlos Saraiva group, and a similar situation crosses Herdade da Lameira (Silves), where many thousands of jobs were also promised», they stress.
The associations also appeal to the President of the Republic's personal knowledge of the Praia Grande area, whose «excellent natural conditions» Cavaco Silva has already «enjoyed». “For these particular reasons, we come, with even more conviction, to appeal to you. that, while guaranteeing the country's best interests, it asserts with those who have the right to defend the public interest that constitutes the preservation and conservation of the Algarve's natural values. In this case, you it is our last glimmer of hope…», they stress.
"We are certain that a balanced and minimally sustainable development is still possible in the Praia Grande area, positively articulating all the interests in question, but based on a responsible model, capable of respecting and requalifying the natural and cultural values that are present" , conclude the NGOs in the letter sent to the President of the Republic.
Here is the full text of the letter:
«Silves, August 22, 2012
Hon. Mr. President of the Republic:
The Algarve has had a strong economic growth in recent decades, resulting from intense real estate and tourism activity. In view of this, there are few areas of great heritage and landscape value that escaped unharmed from urban occupation.
For various reasons, the space between the Espiche and Alcantarilha streams, the so-called Praia Grande area, is still in this quasi-virgin nature. It is one of the most important wetlands in the Algarve (Sapal de Pêra, Lagoa dos Salgados), bringing together an exceptional set of natural values, with particular emphasis on aquatic birds.
In particular, Lagoa dos Salgados has become, in recent years, one of the most visited birdwatching spots in the country and today assumes a strategic role from the landscape, tourism and ecological point of view of the region. It is located in one of the few stretches of sand accumulation on the windward side, where we can find a significant field of “grey dunes”, priority conservation habitat according to the Habitats Directive. Regarding avifauna, more than 150 species have been recorded in this lagoon to date, many of them with a high status of conservation and protection. This value is expressed in the inclusion of this wetland in the national network of Important Bird Areas (Important Bird Areas), recognized internationally by the largest organization for the conservation of birds and their habitats – BirdLife International.
Lagoa dos Salgados is currently featured in several tourist promotion publications and is part of numerous international ornithological tours. Proof of this is the current online petition, which already gathers more than 13.000 signatures from all over the world, in favor of the protection of this place*.
This is because, despite this extraordinary role in promoting the Algarve and Portugal as a privileged destination for nature tourism and there is sufficient scientific basis to justify its classification, the area remains without any legal status of protection.
On the other hand, as you are certainly aware, another large tourist development (4 beds, golf course) is planned for the Praia Grande area, a project approved in 2008, against the rules of the new PROTAL (2007), under which, and for various reasons, it would not now be approved.
Should this project come to fruition, it is another extremely important natural value of the Algarve that has its days numbered. And for what? Almost exclusively, from more urban growth and real estate speculation…
How can one speak of the sustained development of the Algarve by insisting on a model based solely on concrete, a model repeated to the point of exhaustion and more than outdated, which needs to be definitively stopped. This need is now even more evident given the existence of many thousands of beds to be occupied throughout the Algarve. The argument for the need for more beds in the region, captively associated with the creation of more jobs, is an argument belied by the reality that exists even in the place itself: beside Praia Grande, there is already a semi-desert urbanization, the result of the insolvency of a company belonging to the Carlos Saraiva group, and a similar situation crosses Herdade da Lameira (Silves), where many thousands of jobs were also promised.
Hon. Mr. President: we know that you know the Praia Grande area well and that you have already enjoyed its excellent natural conditions. For these particular reasons, we come, with even more conviction, to appeal to you. that, while guaranteeing the country's best interests, it asserts with those who have the right to defend the public interest that constitutes the preservation and conservation of the Algarve's natural values. In this case, you it's our last glimmer of hope...
We are certain that a balanced and minimally sustainable development is still possible in the Praia Grande area, positively articulating all the interests in question, but based on a responsible model, capable of respecting and upgrading the natural and cultural values that are present.
Grateful for your attention, we offer our most cordial greetings.
By Non-Governmental Environmental Organizations
Almargem, A Rocha, LPN, SPEA»
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