Vila Real de Santo António hosted, this Tuesday, January 24th, the participatory session «Because we all want a Living Reserve», with the aim of debating the promotion, awareness and communication strategy of the Sapal de Castro Marim Nature Reserve and Vila Real de Santo António (RNSCMVRSA).
The initiative, which took place at the Vicente Campina Municipal Library, sought to listen to all parties interested in the defense and management of the Natural Reserve and collect proposals and ideas that contribute to achieving the sustainable development of that protected area, making them compatible with its co-management model .
The meeting was attended by the mayor of VRSA Álvaro Araújo, the councilor responsible for the environment of the
Álvaro Leal, the RNSCMVRSA co-manager representative of AMAL Vanda Silva, the ICNF co-manager Rosa Madeira and various associations, citizens, companies and technical staff linked to territory management.
According to Álvaro Araújo, «it is important to make the people of Vila Real de Santo António feel the salt marsh as their own and that all architectural barriers can be freed so that this natural reserve – common to two municipalities – can be visited and enjoyed by all. , also involving the school community».
The RNSCMVRSA co-management plan aims, among other aspects, to promote economic activities in the reserve in line with the protection of its values and natural resources, the enhancement of the territory as a place of leisure and learning, the promotion of scientific activity and the dissemination of the cultural heritage associated with the culture of salt.
On the other hand, it seeks to inform and raise awareness among the populations about the existing natural resources and good practices for the use of the territory, deepening the collaborative management of that wetland.
The RNSCMVRSA was the first nature reserve created in Portugal, in 1975, with the main purpose of conserving nature through the balance of ecosystems, improving the living conditions of the resident populations, valuing traditional activities and protecting the landscape heritage.
According to the VRSA autarchy, it is one of the most important wetlands in the country, with 2.307,99ha, which comprises a complex system of marshes, channels, bodies of brackish water, salt flats, dry spaces for agricultural use, some bush areas and a small space with cork oak forests.
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