Open Day, public session and draft opinion are new “weapons” in the Lagoa dos Salgados discussion

As of today, the 12th, there are still eight more days to participate in this public consultation. Don't leave the decision in the hands of others, participate!

An Open Day with activities to make known the fauna, flora, geology and the remaining wealth of Lagoa dos Salgados and adjacent areas, a public information session to present the future Nature Reserve and also the availability of a draft to help those who wants to participate in the project discussion. These are the most recent steps to ensure greater participation by all in the process of public discussion of the creation of that protected area, which is underway in Participa.pt portal, until the 20th of January next.

A walk around Lagoa dos Salgados to observe all its natural richness, with special emphasis on the birds, or to see and discover what the leaves hide, or to learn more about the flora, from the dune to the marsh, passing pastures, scrubland and rainfed orchards, or even to discover the benthic macroinvertebrates that live in its waters.

These are some of the activities that will take place next Saturday, January 15th, at open day of the future Lagoa dos Salgados Nature Reserve.

Specialists from different areas will show all the natural values ​​of this important wetland that is intended to be preserved, with activities for the whole family. All activities are free, but registration is mandatory and can be done here.

Almargem, Sociedade Portuguesa de Botânica and Vida Nativa are the associations that promote the activities, joined by nature tourism companies Walkin'Sagres, Proactivetur, PerNatur and A Rocha Life. all in all, there are ten activities scheduled.

On the 18th, between 18:00 and 20:00, at the Parish Center of Pêra, there will be a open debriefing session to the general public to present the project to create the protected area, promoted by the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF). This is a joint initiative of the Municipality of Silves and the Almargem association.

So far, as can be seen from the Participa.pt portal, there are already 491 participations in this process of public discussion, which attests to the great interest that Lagoa dos Salgados arouses.

The Lagoa dos Salgados Participatory Movement, which includes associations, nature tourism companies and citizens, in addition to explaining how to participate in the process, having created a easy to understand script, has now also made available a draft text which can be used by any person or entity to express their opinion on the Participa.pt portal.

 

This is a «suggested Public Consultation Opinion». The Movement encourages: “be inspired, copy, change, but participate”.

Anabela Santos, from Almargem, in statements to the Sul Informação, stressed the “importance of having the greatest possible participation of all interested parties” in this process. «Although some people think that, with the classification proposal presented by the ICNF, everything is resolved, it is not a matter of course that the Nature Reserve is even created. There are still many powerful interests at stake in Lagoa dos Salgados and there needs to be firm opposition from citizens for the Reserve to advance».

 

Here is the draft Public Consultation Opinion, which you can copy or change:

«PROPOSAL FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE NATURAL RESERVE OF LAGOA DOS SALGADOS

The proposed classification of the Lagoa dos Salgados Nature Reserve, with an extension of more than 400 ha, including the Alcantarilha stream, Pêra-Alcantarilha marsh, Espiche stream, Salgados lagoon, and the entire area between these wetlands is recognition of the importance of this area at a national and international level, and of its natural values.

It is also a step towards the preservation of the much-threatened wetlands, and towards fulfilling the commitment the country made when it signed and ratified the Ramsar Convention in 1980.

From the analysis of the proposal in Public Consultation, for the designation of the Lagoa dos Salgados Nature Reserve, I highlight the importance of this classification for the protection and safeguard of the natural values ​​present there, with emphasis on the great diversity and avifaunistic and floristic richness.

This is the first proposal for classification of a protected area in Portugal in more than 20 years, and it will allow the protection of species and habitats, many with threat status and scarce distribution in Portugal, and will contribute to the creation of a network of areas protected wetlands on the Algarve coast, increasing connectivity between them.

The proposed area encompasses 12 natural and semi-natural habitats listed in Decree-Law nº 49/2005, and 13 species of RELAPE flora (rare, endemic, localized, threatened or endangered), including a large population of algarvian linaria. This site also houses a high diversity of arthropods with conservation value, and 4 species of reptiles with unfavorable conservation status.

The proposal under analysis responds to several international treaties signed by Portugal, namely the Ramsar Convention, the Berne Convention, the Bonn Convention, the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive. the Birds, identified since 2003. Highlight for some species of birds with reduced distribution, in sharp population decrease or even threatened with extinction in Portugal, such as the spoonbill, the shrimp, the red heron, the grouse, the sea partridge or the kestrel will have one more protection space.

Other species of terrestrial and aquatic migratory birds will also benefit from this proposal, through the safeguarding of an important feeding and resting area in the migratory corridor of the Atlantic-East.

In addition to safeguarding the natural values ​​presented, it is worth mentioning the importance of this area for residents and visitors who can not only enjoy this heritage but also enjoy the important functions of controlling floods, replenishing groundwater, regulating the water cycle and contributing towards the goals of combating the loss of biodiversity, mitigating and adapting to climate change.

This initiative must be implemented as it is a concrete action that meets the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations agenda that declared 2021-2030 as the UN Decade for the Recovery of Ecosystems, and that Portugal must respect and integrate in its commitments.

Therefore, I totally agree with the proposed classification of the Lagoa dos Salgados Nature Reserve».

 



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