Good news for conservationists and bird-lovers across the region as Almargem has announed it has received project funding from the Nature Conservation and Biodiversity programme of the Environmental Fund.
This will pay for in-depth studies of specific aspects of several wetland areas in the Algarve, writes Almargem, namely the Alagoas Brancas area in Lagoa threatened by Continente, Sapais de Pêra and Lagoa dos Salgados (pictured) straddling Silves and Albufeira Council areas where Millennium Bank is keen to flog off the laughably named 'eco-Resort' at Praia Grande, the wetland of Trafal near Vilamoura and Foz do Almargem in Loulé.
In spite of the short execution time for this project, it will be possible to combine the work of several specialists (SPEA, University of Algarve, TAGIS, among others) who will produce technical reports on the values in each of these areas.
The final objective is to prepare a well-founded proposal that will be presented to the respective local authorities in order to initiate a process of classification of these wetlands as Local Area Protected Areas.
In the case of Alagoas Brancas, this becomes particularly relevant due to the 'lack of adequate initiatives' by Lagoa Council and government departments - Almargem now has the funding to show the conservation importance of this small wetland that remains under threat by an inadmissible industrial plan in a space subject to periodic flooding.
As it is also public knowledge, Sapais de Pêra and Lagoa dos Salgados (the Praia Grande 'eco-Resort' (sic) development) are threatened by a municipal plan of urbanization that covers 148 hectares where a golf course, hotels and apartments would be installed, in a total of 4,000 beds.
The approval of the current study acknowledges that the areas in question have great potential in environmental and conservationist terms, so it is strange that they still want to move forward with the Praia Grande venture which is totally incompatible with the protection of existing patrimonial values, with European commitments and with the sustainable development of the region.
As for Trafal and Foz do Almargem, it is intended to consolidate the ideas that have been presented for at least three decades in order to protect this small part of the Algarve coast, which is constantly the target of inadequate interventions, undue use of the territory and real estate speculation, and it is hoped that, once and for all, the Municipality of Loulé will be able to fulfill its indispensable duty to preserve the natural heritage.
Almargem Association
R. de S. Domingos, 65 - 8100-536 Loulé
www.almargem.org
