It started off bad, with the felling of pine trees, some of them centenary, on a plot of land next to Ancão beach, in May 2020. This Friday, the 14th of January, the company that owns this property officially started to “mending the hand” and presented the Forest Management Plan that is already underway and which aims to ensure that the story ends well.
The planting of three thousand trees, cleaning of bushes and selective thinning, the removal and control of invasive species, the removal of eucalyptus trees and the installation of nest boxes and shelters for bats and rabbits are some of the actions foreseen in the plan, which has "a term of 20 years (2020-2039)" and was a promise made days after the public denunciation that trees had been illegally felled.
The planned intervention “is exclusively concerned with safeguarding and enhancing environmental and landscape qualification, as well as the conservation and promotion of biodiversity”, assured AM|48, the company that owns this land with about 47 hectares.
Yesterday morning, a symbolic act to launch the Forest Management Plan took place at this location in Praia do Ancão, which will lead, at this early stage, to an investment of around 100 euros.
In addition to Alejandro Martins, executive director of AM|48, there were also present Vítor Aleixo, mayor of Loulé, who, in May 2020, called the felling of trees, which was then carried out, an "environmental crime", and António Miranda, deputy director of the Algarve Regional Directorate of the Instituto de Conservação da Natureza e Florestas, an entity that raised a notice of infraction against the owners of the land, due to that same felling, and embargoed the work that was in progress.
The presence in this act of Vítor Aleixo and a regional leader of the ICNF turns out to be a sign of recognition of the effort made by the company not only to restore the situation, but also to develop a long-term strategy for the conservation of space.
Despite admitting that, at first, he considered not attending the act, Vítor Aleixo revealed that he was convinced when he «read the press release», which listed the planned actions and the philosophy of the plan.
«I could not fail to be present because this is a forest management plan on an area of almost 50 hectares, in an area of excellence for national tourism. (…) To see such a quick, ambitious, well-thought-out response, because it ranges from the recovery of the forest area, to the recovery of ecosystems, biodiversity… Loulé.
Despite not hiding that the forest area in question «was recently the object of an absolutely unfortunate intervention», the Louletano mayor recognizes in Alejandro Martins «an investor who has this environmental sensitivity» and who «is to be congratulated».
«I think this is a very important moment, it is even an exemplary moment for tourism in the Algarve, which needs to look at this intervention, which is kicking off today here in Ancão, and replicate it as quickly as possible. possible in the region. This is the only way through which we can maintain in the Algarve, as a tourist destination, the level of excellence and world importance», concluded the mayor.
Alejandro Martins, for his part, explained what led to the initial felling of the trees in May 2020.
“When we bought the land – at that time we still only had the promissory contract – we were not informed by the previous owner that he had asked the ICNF to clean up the property. The ICNF said yes, but there were certain conditions, but we didn't know. It was he himself who started the cleanup», he added.
All this “coincided with the Covid situation”. So, “we didn't come here. I know that people were passing by and, suddenly, we were also, somehow, taken by surprise with the work that was done», he assured.
It was after realizing that «there were things wrongly done» that the new land owners, «as suggested by the ICNF and the Chamber itself», decided to go ahead with a Forest Management Plan.
In the Algarve, this planning instrument is only mandatory for plots of 50 hectares or more. «We only have 47, but we were the ones who said: 'we think it's good, let's do it, even if it were 30'».
«We want to restore the species, we want to restore the habitats, we want to restore everything that was destroyed and increase it with new species, which are also part of the region and its authenticity, such as the carob trees, many cork oaks», he said,
Basically, he said, it is about ensuring “the biodiversity and sustainability of this entire space”.
The plan was submitted to the INCF, which approved it and will monitor its implementation on the ground. The Chamber was also included in the process, assured Alejandro Marques.
António Miranda, from ICNF, confirmed that the company «from the outset showed interest and held several meetings with us, in order to restore the situation and improve it».
As for the plan presented today, «it has our agreement, because it gives a set of guarantees that they will continue to monitor the growth of the trees that are now being planted, the control of weeds and a set of other actions to promote the fauna and of protected species'.
And why does a real estate company like AM|48 decide to invest in nature conservation and in the maintenance of a forested area of almost 50 hectares in one of the main tourist areas of the Algarve?
Alejandro Martins does not hide that whatever they are allowed to do in the urban area and that is «in accordance with all the regulations», «we will certainly do it».
«But it is already seen that it will never be in this property and in this intervention. It could be in the pre-existences” around the land, he said.
«Our idea is to create observatories here, so tourists can take pictures of the birds, create passages, the trails that we are allowed to open and that are provided for in the PGF itself», said the executive director of AM|48.
«I want a property here that is a reference, even for the tourists themselves. This was what it was and today it is what it is. And therefore, whatever we can use to catapult more tourism, we will do, always accompanied by the ICNF and the Chamber and other entities that are necessary», he concluded.
Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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