Last weekend (May 28th and 29th) the event “Vamos à Vila” took place, an event about the knowledge and flavors of the municipality of Monchique and where the cultural and natural heritage also took place.

As part of the Life-Relict Project, a guided tour was organized along the Rhododendron Route, where it was possible to observe the Rhododendron in bloom and discover its habitat.

During the event, a report on the Life-Relict Project was broadcast through the Municipality’s communication channels, which can be viewed HERE after minute 3.

The European Union’s LIFE program turns 30 on 21st of May. The University of Évora will commemorate this event with a major exhibition allusive to LIFE projects in which it participates either as a coordinating beneficiary or as an associated beneficiary. This exhibition will take place in the week of May 16th to 20th, in the Cloisters of Colégio Espírito Santo of the University of Évora, with the university community, national and foreign tourists and the general population as its target audience.

LIFE is a European Union financial instrument that currently co-finances projects in 4 sub-programmes: nature and biodiversity; circular economy and quality of life; mitigation and adaptation to climate change; and transition to clean energy. From its inception in 1992 to date, it has co-financed more than 5500 projects across Europe. For example, within the scope of nature conservation alone, this program has already invested more than 3 billion euros in around 1800 projects, which benefited 6000 classified areas within the European Natura 2000 Network.

Currently, 11 LIFE projects are taking place (or have ended in the last few months) at the University of Évora. Most of them are dedicated to the management and conservation of European biodiversity, such as Life-Relict, Life Charcos, Life Águeda, Life Lines, Life Saramugo, Life Olivares Vivos+, LIFE Scrubsnet and Life Alnus Taejo. Added to these are Life Montado Adapt, which is dedicated to the adaptation to climate change, Life Invasaqua, focused on preventing and combating invasive species in fresh and estuarine waters, and Life BIOAs based on an environmental perspective focused on the circular economy and quality of life. However, throughout the LIFE Program’s history, the University of Évora has participated in many projects.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Portuguese.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Portuguese.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Portuguese.

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By the invitation of the partner Municipality of Monchique, Prof. Carlos Pinto Gomes made a presentation at BTL (Bolsa de Turismo de Lisboa – Travel Market) about the flora and vegetation of Monchique mountain, where he highlighted the Rhododendron Route, as a differentiated product of nature-based tourism in Monchique.

This action included the dissemination of the project and promotion of ecotourism, raising awareness of the importance of conserving the Continental Laurissilva Relicts, increasing social awareness of the need for their preservation and the historical and natural value they represent. This sharing of knowledge is essential to instill in society a protective role for its natural values and sense of belonging. Through the Rhododendron Route, it is intended to contribute to the creation of structures and materials to support nature based tourism, essential for the sustainable socio-economic development of these interior regions.

On the 29th of January, a planting action took place in Valongo, in the municipality of Pedrógão Grande. Here about 100 azereiros, 80 strawberry trees and 10 oaks were planted in an area of about 0.5ha. The objective was to increase areas of azereira, target habitat of Life-Relict and thus replicate the knowledge acquired in the project.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Portuguese.