Government promotes initiative "Feeling and Interpreting the S. Miguel Natural Park"
The Azorean Government, through the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and the Sea, promotes the initiative "Feeling and Interpreting the S. Miguel Natural Park" at auditorium of CTT (post office) on August 14 at 11 AM. This presentation is followed by a visit to the Serra Devassa mountain range trail at 2 PM.
The event will show the investments made in the São Miguel Natural Park as well as promote its potentialities. The São Miguel Natural Park comprises 23 protected areas with a total extension of 21,714.82 ha (65% of the territory corresponds to inland areas and 35% to maritime areas) with the respective information signs.
This park also includes: 27 geosites (10 of which were awarded priority status under the Azores Geopark interventions); 11 pedestrian trails with various levels of difficulty with the respective information signs; 1 Monitoring and Research Centre to support visitors and 1 "Ecoteca" (Environmental Awareness Raising Centre) for the promotion of environmental awareness raising activities.
The São Miguel Natural Park Guide was present and, for the time being, it is only available in Portuguese; it is an excellent tool for uncovering and venturing oneself into this route of discovery. The Guides provides information on aspects the concerning the island's features and the areas located within the natural park, being a true field guide directed to the local flora and fauna as well as a support tool for the interpretation of the Natural Park.
The exhibition of a video titled "Feeling and Interpreting the São Miguel Nature Park" will highlight some specificities of the São Miguel Natural Park. The video was directed and presented by Paulo Henrique Silva under the SIARAM project.
The mobile exhibition "(Inter)actions of the São Miguel Natural Park" evidences the multidisciplinary nature of Natural Parks, such as the case of the São Miguel Natural Park. This exhibition displays panels containing the news posted on the online portal of the Island Natural Park (PNI) in the first half of the year. The panels depict the actions undertaken in several fields: educational service, awareness raising activities, EcoSchool and EcoVillage programmes, cleaning of coastal areas, among others.
Moreover, the Tourist Accommodation Units will receive promotional material in an attempt to create synergies.
The promotional materials include a visit to Serra Devassa mountain range trail, the provision of information on the trails in good conditions and the dissemination of information and interpretation signs.