Alonso Miguel highlights key role of nature rangers in environmental preservation and nature conservation - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, took part in an educational birdwatching session with an interpretive trail in Paul da Pedreira, held on Monday on the island of Terceira, as part of the celebrations for World Wetlands Day and National Nature Ranger Day.

Promoted by nature rangers, the initiative involved 20 preschool children from the "O Gu e a Tita" kindergarten in Praia da Vitória. It aimed to reinforce the importance of preserving wetlands and raise awareness of the important role of nature rangers. The initiative was part of a wide-ranging programme of environmental education and awareness-raising activities to be carried out across the Azores islands between January 21 and February 5.

"With a view to marking these important events, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action prepared a wide range of educational and environmental awareness activities, including lectures, field trips and visits to environmental centres, clean-up actions in public spaces and ecological restoration activities, interpretive trails and bird watching in wetlands. They are aimed at children and young people from different levels of education and the general public, with the indispensable participation of our Nature Rangers, in conjunction with the Environmental and Climate Action Services of the nine islands," stated the government official. 

Alonso Miguel emphasised that “wetlands are ecosystems of high ecological, environmental, landscape and social value, providing ecosystem services that are fundamental to the safety and well-being of populations, namely in terms of regulating the water cycle, protecting biodiversity, recharging aquifers and mitigating climate change effects."

"As true biodiversity hotspots, wetlands are also prime locations for bird watching, an activity that is growing in popularity in the Azores and, as such, is an important tourist asset with economic relevance," he added.

The Regional Secretary also pointed out that "the Azores have 13 wetlands classified as being of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, covering around 13,000 hectares." He added that "the Regional Government has been developing various structural nature conservation projects, with emphasis on LIFE projects, namely LIFE IP AZORES NATURA, which has a budget of over €19 million for investment in the protection and recovery of areas within the Natura 2000 Network. It also includes wetlands classified as Ramsar Sites in the Azores."

The government official recalled that "this heritage is as valuable as it is sensitive and fragile. As such, it is important to ensure its protection and conservation through an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, seeking a balance between human beings and natural ecosystems, a mission in which nature rangers play a key role."

On National Nature Ranger Day, Alonso Miguel took the opportunity “to pay tribute to the key role played by these professionals in preserving nature, protecting natural resources, as well as monitoring, supervising, and raising environmental awareness across all islands.”

“Nature rangers are at the forefront when it comes to defending the environmental quality and unique natural heritage of the Azores, providing an invaluable contribution to the sustainable development of our islands.”

Alonso Miguel recalled that "the Regional Government has been consistently increasing the human and operational resources allocated to nature rangers." In this regard, he highlighted the recently launched procedure to hire another 12 nature rangers, as well as the substantial investment in vehicles, inflatable boats, machinery, drones, uniforms and technical equipment for these professionals. This represents an overall investment surpassing €1 million, complemented by the provision of in-depth specialised training."

He concluded: “These investments lead to better monitoring, inspection, and intervention on the ground, closer ties with the population, and better conditions to protect our natural resources, demonstrating the Regional Government's strong commitment to protecting the environment and sustainable development in the Region.”