Volunteers planted 135 endemic plants

Last Saturday, February 23, the Life Sustainable Laurel Forest Project and the Priolo's Environmental Center promoted a voluntary action by planting endemic plants in one of the areas of natural forest recovered by the project.

The meeting point was at the Municipal Garden of Povoação at 9:30am and had 8 participants, accompanied by two technicians from SPEA. With everything ready they went to the area where the planting activity would take place, in Labaçal at Serra da Tronqueira.

Extremely enthusiastic and with pleasant weather conditions, despite the cloud cover, participants were able to go through that area, already recovered with Laurel Forest and get to know the recovery actions carried out on the area and the species that would be planted that morning.

It were planted 135 plants produced in the nursery of The Laurel Forest Project: 15 Laurel, 12 Virbunum, 12 Lily of the Valley tree, 28 Hawbit, 28 Imperitum and 40 Calluna Vulgaris. These plants were planted in one of the lower areas of Labaçal, an area that was still quite open and unprotected and that with this planting will be more protected and fulfilled.

The 8 volunteers worked enthusiastically and diligently throughout the course of the activity, got to know several species of natural forest in the Azores and even met one of the areas of intervention of the project.

We appreciate the participation and enthusiasm shown by all!

See you soon!

Priolo Fest announces bird endangered in Ponta Delgada

Last Saturday was held the PRIOLO FEST in the Gallery/Bar Arco 8 in Ponta Delgada, to publicize the International Crowdfunding campaign "Let's Preserve the Azores Bullfinch" which aims to raise funds to continue the preservation work of the Priolo and the Laurel Forest, developed by SPEA since 2003 in São Miguel.

This event featured exhibitions on the Priolo and its habitat and with the participation of several local artists, including Fungis Magic Truxis, Hassim Vaio, the Soap Bubbles girls, the clowns Chuvisco and Luna, DJ Zuga 73 and DJs YUZIN. The event was also supported by the Gallery/Bar Arco 8, Radio Atlântida and Topografia Aníbal.

The activities began at 5pm with exhibitions and many surprises for the many children that appeared. Parents and children were delighted with the Magic Fungis Truxis who built Priolos with balloons and held a performance of circus arts, Hassim Vaio helped to make art with boxes and paintings on the theme of the Priolo "Priolarte" and participated in games organized by the SPEA team. Some children even brought a reminder of Priolo, a shaped face painting.

During the afternoon and evening, the Chuvisco, from "SPEA" (being a Clown is to love) conducted an Atlas of Rare Birds-and with it made them laugh. Also the Soap Bubbles Girls surprised everyone with enormous soap bubbles and with all forms.

Around 10pm there was a moment of poetry entitled "Priolando", written by Carla Verissimo who shared with those present her message to the mural "Let's save the Priolo: Leave a message.". Then Luna came in, with "Open Beak and Wings in the Air", a fun activity that caused dozens of people to learn to fly.

Through the night, it were presented documentaries on the Priolo and conservation work that has been developed by SPEA and partners in San Miguel. The videos shown were "Priolo" - A film about the Azorean bullfinch and "Priolo - Behind the scenes", performed by Madalena Boto, the debut of "The Priolo Atlas 2012", authored by Aidnature.org, and two short films authored by Yaiza López on the work done by the LIFE Sustainable Laurel Forest Project.

The party continued with music by Zuga 73 and DJs YUZIN, that filled the Arco 8, in a night of dancing and animation, where the last sound heard was the singing of Priolo. Throughout the afternoon/evening over two hundred people got to know better this treasure of São Miguel and the Azores and learned to priolar!

The Priolo thanks all the participants for your interest in this important conservation work and all partners for their contribution to this event.

Learn how to contribute to the Crowdfunding campaign HERE

The Crowdfunding campaign exceeded the $8.000

The Crowdfunding Campaign “Let's Preserve the Azores Bullfinch” in wich the main purpose is to raise money to keep the conservation work of the Azorian Laurel Forest and therefore save the Priolo, already exceeded the value of $8.000. However the total value that SPEA is trying raise is $28.000.

This value needs to be raised until 1st of March of 2013, date in wich the campaign ends! The future of the Laurel Forest and the Priolo depends on the conservation work that SPEA has been doing since 2003, with the support of the Azorian Government.

Help us save the Priolo, an endemic bird of the São miguel Island! Contribute for this cause and spread the word to your family and friends.

The Priolo thanks you!

Visit the campaign site HERE

Visit to Graminhais celebrates World Wetlands Day

We celebrated on February 2nd the World Wetlands Day. The Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA), under the LIFE+ Sustainable Laurel Forest Project, associated to these commemorations organizing a guided visit to Planalto dos Graminhais to make this important natural area and wetland of the São Miguel Island Natural Park known, as well as the work done to its recovery.

The meeting point was at the parking lot of Ribeira dos Caldeirões, Achada do Nordeste, following the trip to Planalto dos Graminhais. Two families participated in this activity that were delighted with the chance to spent the morning outdoors.

During the visit to this important natural area, the participants got to know the intervention area of the Life Sustainable Laurel Forest Project, walking on the trail that covers this area and saw the recovery of the peatbogs.

It was also possible to see some species of birds that already started to be seen regularly in this area: Common snipe and Common Teal.

We thank all the participants the interest demonstrated in the work of recovery developed in this area and for their participation in this activity.

Pauleta's interview in RTP Azores

Pedro Pauleta, former-player of the National Team, visited the Life Sustainable Laurel Forest Project yesterday.

During this visit the Portuguese International gave an interview to the local news station, RTP Azores, alerting for the importance of the work carried through by SPEA to save the Priolo and the Azores natural forest, the Laurel Forest.

See the interview HERE