The Regional Director for Forest Resources announced in Praia da Vitória the organisation of over fifty awareness-raising activities on all islands of the Azores to mark the National Tree Day and the World Forest Day that are celebrated on March 20 and 21, respectively.

These initiatives began earlier this week and will run until Saturday. They are developed in partnership with regional public and private entities.

Anabela Isidoro spoke at the opening of an exhibition of endemic trees at praça Francisco Ornelas, where several educational activities jointly promoted by Praia da Vitória City Hall and Garrison Regiment no.1 will be held for three days.

In her speech, the Regional Director emphasised the importance of promoting the Azorean endemic forest amongst younger audiences and raising the awareness of the population for the importance of services provided by forests, particularly with regard to the protection of water resources and the soil.

The initiatives included in the celebration programme involve nearly 3,000 participants across the archipelago. Visits to plan nurseries, lectures, paper chase games, planting of endemic plant species and rehabilitation of school grounds with several plants are some of the environmental-awareness raising activities targeted at students.

Moreover, the Government will also promote activities directed to the public in general, including actions to disseminate the Recreational Forest Reserves, endemic flora and forests of the Azores and the various areas of intervention of the Island Forest Services, such as forest nurseries.