ZEC Management Plans in the Algarve and Alentejo are under public consultation

The Management Plans for nine Special Conservation Zones (ZEC) located in the Algarve and Alentejo are under public consultation on the Participa.pt portal starting this Wednesday, April 3rd, and until May 2nd.

The public consultation covers the ZECs of Guadiana, Guadiana/Juromenha, Barrocal, Monchique, Arade/Odelouca, Ribeira de Quarteira, Ria de Alvor, Ria Formosa/Castro Marim and Caldeirão.

These ZEC (and ZEP) are the areas classified within the scope of the Natura 2000 Network, which is an ecological network for community space and aims to conserve natural habitats and wild fauna and flora, integrating the Special Conservation Zones ( ZEC), designated under the Habitats Directive (no. 92/43/EEC).

Regulatory Decree No. 1/2020, of March 16, classified the 62 sites of community importance in the territory of Mainland Portugal as ZEC and provides that complementary measures for the conservation of habitats and species present in each ZEC are defined in management plans.

These identify the conservation objectives, the specific measures to achieve them, the forms of operationalization and the monitoring program for their implementation.

The documents presented include the management plan proposal and the technical report and respective annexes.

With the aim of promoting the systematization of contributions, a participation form was prepared containing three tables, which must be completed in the “Comments and contributions” field.

Until the end of the public consultation period, all interested parties, individually or on behalf of an entity or legal person, may submit observations and suggestions to the proposal for each of the management plans.

The entity promoting the public consultation is the Institute for Nature and Forest Conservation.