Eduardo Jesus highlighted at the Laurissilva forum that there is “a lot of planning” in territorial management and in specific actions to combat threats to the so-called lung of Madeira, stressing the importance of joint work that the Region has prepared to respond to these risks.
He underlined the role of continuous monitoring by the IFCN to ensure its prompt response to any attack on the island’s natural heritage. It is an extraordinary responsibility, which involves a lot of hard work and land clearing activities to ensure that fires do not threaten the Laurissilva forest.
The Regional Secretary also recalled that fires do not ignite inside the Laurissilva forest. This tertiary forest was affected several years ago, but nowadays it is in a more stable environment.
Asked about fire breaks and buffer zones, he assured that this is a continuous work, with IFCN teams regularly checking areas and ensuring that weeds and non-endemic species are removed and replanted with more fire-resistant species.
This is also where new crops with economic value come in, such as coffee and avocado trees, which are being tested in some areas. “It is necessary to find species that occupy areas, preventing weeds from taking over the territory,” he said, adding that these plantations can also have “an economic function.” “One of the most efficient ways to protect the land is for the territory to also have an economic value,” he stressed, admitting that, if the experiments go well, these species will prove popular.”
During the meeting, Paulo Oliveira drew attention to the “invisible work” of the nurseries in the Region. He explained that the policy of intervention on the ground implies collecting seeds, taking them to the nurseries, and, only years later, returning the plants to the field, which in itself is a long and demanding process.
In 2024, around 200 thousand plants were produced in the five nurseries in the Region, the result of “many hours of work and a lot of dedication.” Paulo Oliveira also left an appeal: that school visits to nurseries become mandatory, more than just going to plant a tree. “It is important to see the process of planting a seed,” he defended.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
