Porto Santo’s beach will become a testing ground for three coastal protection methods under a €2.1 million project designed to tackle erosion and strengthen the island’s natural sea defences. The work combines the reuse of sand dredged from Porto de Abrigo, the addition of sand to Fontinha beach and the…
Posts published in “Nature”
The Vereda do Pico Ruivo do Paul da Serra will receive regular conservation and maintenance work over the next three years through a partnership between the Rotary Club of Funchal and the PortoBay Group. The agreement, signed on the 22nd of September at Porto Mare’s offices in Funchal, aims to…
September 2026 was warmer and drier than average across Madeira, with all weather stations analysed recording temperatures above the 1991–2020 climatological normal and rainfall below it. Figures released by the Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM), based on IPMA data, show that the largest temperature deviation was recorded at…
Miguel Albuquerque has defended allowing taller buildings in suitable areas of Funchal, as Madeira’s Legislative Assembly debated a petition proposing a general limit of ten storeys. Speaking on Tuesday, the 20th of October, during the handover of 25 homes in Ribeiro Real, Câmara de Lobos, the President of the Regional…
A man armed with a shotgun was photographed on the Ponta de São Lourenço trail on Sunday, the 18th of October, amid reports that he fired shots while tourists were walking nearby. According to a witness, the man was hunting partridges. His presence and the reported gunfire surprised walkers and…
Scientific divers taking part in the Madeira Ocean expedition have recorded greater biodiversity inside the Garajau Nature Reserve than in a nearby unprotected area, highlighting the benefits of marine conservation. Speaking to Lusa, Filipe Henriques, one of the scientific diving team coordinators, said the observations showed the reserve’s positive contribution…
Researchers taking part in the Madeira Ocean 2026 expedition have fitted a satellite tag to a Blainville’s beaked whale, marking a major milestone in the expedition’s first stage. Scientific coordinator Beatriz Vinha told Lusa that the tag is expected to remain attached for around six months, allowing researchers to track…
Madeira will celebrate its marine heritage from the 7th to the 11th of October with the third edition of the Madeira Whale Fest. Part of the Madeira Nature Festival, the event aims to bring the community closer to the ocean and highlight the importance of protecting whales and dolphins. The…
An earthquake registering 3.0 on the Richter Scale was recorded this morning at 03:29, southeast of the Desertas Islands, about 100 kilometers from Funchal. According to the seismic network of the Portuguese Institute of Atmosphere and Sea (IPMA), the quake occurred at a depth of 42 kilometers. Samantha Gannon info…
Porto Santo’s future lies in its identity, history and culture, rather than an indiscriminate increase in visitor numbers, according to Mayor Nuno Batista. Speaking on the sidelines of the Atlantic Tourism Days in Velas, on the Azorean island of São Jorge, Batista said the aim was to offer visitors a…
Walkers using the Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço (PR8) will face temporary diversions from Wednesday, 30th of September, as repair and improvement works get under way. The Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN) says short detours will be introduced along sections of the usual route to protect visitors…
Madeira’s second Civil Protection helicopter will begin operations on the 1st of October and, due to its agility and versatility, will be the first responder to rural fires. It will remain on the island until the 30th of November. Officials said the aircraft could take off in less than ten…
Figures released by the Regional Secretariat for Health and Civil Protection show that 302 fires have been recorded between the 1st of January and Saturday, 26th of September. Of those incidents, 253 were bush fires. Câmara de Lobos recorded the highest number, with 71 fires, including 58 in bush areas.…
The second helicopter intended to support firefighting in Madeira has arrived on the island. It is being taken to the Regional Civil Protection Service’s Air Resources Centre in Cancela, where it will be prepared for operations. Under a contract signed last week between Helibravo and the Portuguese Air Force, the…
Madeira’s second firefighting helicopter was expected to arrive today, the 23rd of September, following the award of a contract worth up to €407,799.82 plus VAT to Helibravo-Aviação. The Portuguese Air Force has contracted the aircraft for the period from 1st October to 30th November, with the cost covered by the…