João Vasconcelos, Algarvian deputy from the Left Bloc (BE), questioned the minister of Environment and Climate Action on what the Government intends to do to "prevent the imminent destruction" of the Alagoas Brancas wetland, in the municipality of Lagoa.
According to BE, «the seasonal freshwater wetland of Alagoas Brancas, in the municipality of Lagoa, is at risk of being destroyed by the construction of one more hypermarket, in addition to another five existing in and around the city».
But, remember the Blocistas, in winter, "White Alagoas is flooded, becoming an important area of food, rest and breeding for a group of bird species, some of which are threatened with extinction."
The Alagoas Brancas has, moreover, attracted more and more ornithologists, whose study and observation of this wetland has already led to the identification of more than 70 species of birds, among which the following stand out: black ibis, marmoset eagle, peregrine falcon, white stork, black stork, spoonbill, little white heron, great white heron, red heron, kingfisher, caiman, stilt, bastard, red curlew, marsh harrier and gray kestrel.
In addition to the avifauna, «important populations of Mediterranean tortoise and tree frog inhabit in Alagoas Brancas, as well as an unusual plant in Portugal – the Crypsis aculeata – and various species of crustaceans, diurnal butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies with conservation value'.
In April 2019, the study "Enhancement of Wetlands in the Algarve", promoted by Almargem – Association for the Defense of the Cultural and Environmental Heritage of the Algarve, and financed by the Environmental Fund, concluded that "in view of the uniqueness of the species present in the area [Alagoas Whites], the creation of a protection statute is essential and essential for the conservation and management of the area».
The study, carried out in partnership with SPEA – Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds and research centers at the universities of the Algarve and Lisbon, also revealed that this wetland «generates a sponge effect for excess rainwater, so , its disappearance will result in a high probability of flooding throughout the urban area'.
Among the management proposals, the study recommends «the classification as a Protected Area of Local Scope, and a corresponding revision of the PDM in force in order to ensure the natural values of the area».
According to BE, «the Câmara de Lagoa has granted the development entity Edifícios Atlântico SA an industrial allotment permit
to the Alagoas Brancas site. With the waterproofing of the wetland by industrial urbanization, rainwater would drain into
lower elevation areas and would be routed to the only aqueduct in the area».
“The pipeline would receive all the water coming from Alagoas Brancas and the surrounding high areas, making it predictably impossible to drain the entire volume of water on days of more intense rainfall, resulting in flooding in that area”, he adds.
The Left Block demands the Government to prevent “the destruction of Alagoas Brancas, adopting the necessary measures and actions to safeguard that wetland. Urban planning interests cannot supersede the greater values of that important natural area».
Therefore, the blocistas want to know on what date the Government intends to present the detailed study on Alagoas Brancas with a view to its environmental classification and if the executive will take steps with the Lagoa Council to contain the urban development.
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