It's Spring in Serra da Tronqueira

 No doubt that Spring has arrived in Tronqueira.

 

 

Now it's possible to watch an explosion of color in Serra da Tronqueira and Graminhais.

 

 

With the mild temperatures comes the bugs and the plants begin to  grow more. Some species of Laurel Forest plants are blooming, becoming a huge attractive to bugs and birds.

 

If the Lily of the Valley Tree are wildly sought by bougs, the Azorean Holly are, around this time, the Azores Bullfinch's favourite food. This is an excelent opportunity to see this bird while it feeds itself from little flowers...It's Spring taking effect!

 

  Visit the Tronqueira and see nature in all it's splendor!

Sustainable Laurel Life Project participate in the I Health Fair in Povoação

It took place on April 19^th the I Health Fair in Povoação, in the Municipal Garden.

This initiative happened within the School Health program from Escola Básica e Secundária from this municipality, which has the Health Center’s and the Town Hall support.

Throughout the day, the auditorium and the Municipal Garden had different activities, such has exhibitions, weight screenings and food counseling.

Participated at this Fair the local Health Center, GNR, PSP, SPEA, ARRISCA and the Comission for the protection of Children and Young People from Povoação.

The Sustainable Laurel Life Project took several types of plants that are part of the Azorian Laurel Forest, allowing hundreds of children and adults, that stopped by SPEA’s stand, to get to know up close these important plants, as well as the work developed by this project in the Municipalitys of Povoação and Nordeste.

Besides that, the kids also had the opportunity to use a telescope and the binoculars to do some birdwatching in that area.

  

On May 3th we will be present in the same Health Fair, this time in Furnas.

"One Forest, one future" in the Museu do Tabaco da Maia

The Museu do Tabaco na Maia, in São Miguel, receives until April 20th the exhibition "One Forest, one future".

With this exhibition you will get to know better the plants that belong to the azorian Laurel Forest and learn a little bit more about the Azorian Bullfinch.

Besides, it is also possible to understand the preservation work that has been done by the Sustainable Laurel Life Project on the Laurel Forest and the Peatbogs in Planalto dos Graminhais, in SPA Pico da Vara/Ribeira do Guilherme and the SIC Serra da Tronqueira/Planalto dos Graminhais.

Visiting hours:

-       9.30am to 12.30pm

-       2pm to 4.30pm

Come learn about the Laurel Forest plants!

Good year of Laurel germination in the project’s greenhouse

After reaching the 35 000 endemic and native plantas in the greenhouse, an important moment, here comes more good news.

Since we built the Sustainable Laurel Life Project greenhouse that we’ve been dwelling with the difficulty on the germination of some plants. The most difficult results have been the Laurel (until now, we only had two germinations of this specie).

Therefore, this year we have good news: Laurel beds planted are giving excellent results, estimating 5 000 Laurel germinations that will be used on the recovery actions of the Laurel Forest in Serra da Tronqueira.

We hope that the good news continues! See you soon.

Implants of sphagnum tufts on the drain ditches in Planalto dos Graminhais

After some study and preparation, it began during the first week of April the tests to implant sphagnum tufts on the drain ditches in Planalto dos Graminhais.

After the drain ditches construction and some adjustments on the water outflow, the team project responsible for the recovery of the peatbogs of Planalto dos Graminhais started testing some techniques to accelerate the peatbogs recovery in some of the most degraded areas. One way of foing this is by using the sphagnum tufts collected in the near areas and setting them in the intended place.

The purpose is that these implants help recover the peatbogs in the degraded areas, like in the old path.

 We hope to have more good news for you soon!

2011/2012 Progress Report available

Anually, the Sustainable Laurel Life Project team dedicates themselves to write the reports concerning the project interventions of which they’re responsible.

With these reports, that are sent to the Life+ Comission, we intend to show the work that has been developed and the results obtained on what concerns to each project’s action that are part of the Project!

From the work done in Planalto dos Graminhais, the number of endemic plants produced in the project’s greenhouse, the progress made on the preservation of the Laurel Forest in the different areas (Malhada and Labaçal), and even the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism application (CETS), that was submitted in January 2012; besides that, the project’s publicizing, the regional, national and international media coverage.

With this report you can get to know better the work done anually to preserve and recover the priority habitats in SPA Pico da Vara/Ribeira do Guilherme.

You may consult the 2011/2012 Progress Report HERE