Viana do Castelo promotes 5th Municipal Week to Combat Invasive Vegetation

The initiative will involve the promotion of various activities, from workshops to interpretative landscape walks, mapping of invasive exotic species and environmental volunteering actions to combat invasive species.

This program is part of the Week on Invasive Species Portugal & Spain 2024 (SEI 2024) of the Portuguese Network for the Study and Management of Invasive Species, the INVASORAS.PT Platform, the LIFE STOP Cortaderia and LIFE INVASAQUA projects and the Biological Invasion Specialist Group.

Thus, the 5th Municipal Week to Combat Invasive Vegetation begins on May 4th with an interpretative walk of the landscape, followed by an action to control invasive vegetation in the Natural Monument of the Cemitério das Praias Antigas de Alcantilado de Montedor – Carreço and, simultaneously, the Workshop – Invasive Flora will take place, with both initiatives open to the general public.

During this week, invasive vegetation control activities will also be promoted in different areas classified as Natural Monuments, where control techniques will be applied to species such as the spike wattle (Acacia longifolia), the mimosa (Acacia dealbata) and the Australian (Acacia melanoxylon) within the scope of the Cooperation Protocol for the Ecological Maintenance of Classified Areas of Viana do Castelo with local companies and the mapping of invasive flora will also be promoted, in an action that has the school community as its target audience.

The actions developed this week to combat invasive species, promoted by the Viana do Castelo Coastal Geopark, the Forestry Office and the Environmental Monitoring and Interpretation Center (CMIA), of the Environment and Climate Change Division, contribute to the fulfillment of the Environmental Objectives. Sustainable Development, from the 2030 Agenda, namely SDG 11|Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 13|Climate Action, SDG 14|Protect Life on Earth and SDG 17|Partnerships to Implement the Objectives.

Concern about this issue is growing as invasive exotic species are a constant threat to ecosystems around the world. Introduced into new environments, often through human action, invasive species can unbalance local ecosystems, competing with native species for resources such as food and space. Their rapid reproduction and adaptation can result in the extinction of native species, causing irreversible damage to biodiversity. For this reason, controlling these species has become a priority for environmental conservation, requiring efforts to mitigate their negative impact.