The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and the Environment highlighted today the "importance" of the involvement of the Azores in the European project "Zephyr."

Luís Neto Viveiros spoke during the opening session of the seminar on the role of research and conservation projects in the preservation of endangered species and the increase of biodiversity. The event is taking place at the Furnas Monitoring and Research Centre and gathers thirty participants from 10 countries.

The Regional Secretary emphasised the "exchange of knowledge" that is possible through this project, "in which each partner is responsible for certain areas to test replication technologies of plants."

According to Luís Neto Viveiros, "it is very important for the Azores, as an Outermost Region, to stay close to the European centres of knowledge as well as to scientific and academic institutions."

The Regional Government is a partner of "Zephyr," through Azorina, in the development of a trial growth project on Azorean endemic species, which includes LED light treatment and field acclimatisation.

The" Zephyr - Zero Impact Innovative Technology in Forest Plant Production" is a project developed in the area of Environment and in partnership with universities, research centres, and small and medium companies.