The works stopped, by order of the Court, and it didn't take long for life to return "in force" to Alagoas Brancas, an "oasis of biodiversity" that "continues under great and serious threat".
The Citizens movement in defense of Alagoas Brancas, which has strongly contested the construction of a commercial area on this site, came out to publicize the return of fauna to this wetland, after the machines had stopped, but also to call for the continuity of actions in defense of this natural space, which, they argue, “urges to defend, classify and renaturalise”.
«In recent days, and due to the regenerative exuberance of this time of year, authentic wildlife festivals have been taking place in Alagoas Brancas. Hundreds of black ibis were sighted, among dozens and dozens of other important species, and the monitoring of specimens in Alagoas continues to increase in number», assures the movement of citizens.
The number of species that en masse seek the fresh waters of the Lagoon wetland have been recorded "by citizen initiative".
This “truce” in the construction works comes after the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Loulé upheld the precautionary measure brought by the People-Animals-Natureza (PAN) on the 7th of November and determined the immediate suspension of construction work on a new commercial area in the Alagoas Brancas area.
In the arguments that served to suspend the work, the PAN claimed that the works had already caused «serious and irreparable damage to environmental, historical, landscape and identity values, protected by current law, as well as to the level of biodiversity, which also constitutes damage against nature”.
The citizens' movement says that “animals, protected by law, were buried alive, when by law the ICNF should have removed them one by one safe and sound. But the colossal importance of Alagoas Brancas suppresses any attempt to mitigate the impact that their general destruction would entail».
Even so, the main recipient of criticism from citizens is the Câmara de Lagoa, as it is «absolutely incomprehensible that the municipality of Lagoa, contrary to what studies, specialists, and even the Commission for Coordination and Regional Development (CCDR) say of the Algarve, has given the go-ahead to raze this green stronghold».
The autarchy, however, has already “explained” the case of Alagoas Brancas, in a statement, claiming, among other things, that stopping the work would mean paying compensation «of large millions of euros».
«Alagoas Brancas are precious, but, despite the good news, they are not yet safe and at this moment all help is precious», warns Cidadãos in defense of Alagoas Brancas, who promises to «continue to fight».
The biodiversity of Alagoas Brancas – Photos: Citizens in defense of Alagoas Brancas:
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