The preservation of the Iberian lynx, the Sado dolphins and other endangered species are some of the efforts that the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) has been carrying out, the agency said today.
In a statement, the ICNF took stock of its activities on National Nature Conservation Day, stressing that it is making “a journey of work and achievements”.
“The ICNF is proud of the work carried out by all its workers, technicians and managers, but also by the partners in various conservation projects and by the committed and active citizens, on the path to preserving the national natural heritage, who have contributed greatly in the last year to the improvement and recovery of habitats and species,” the statement reads.
The “LIFE Lynxconnec” program, developed by the Portuguese and Spanish authorities as part of the preservation of the Iberian lynx, is one of the projects highlighted by the ICNF, noting that the species “surpassed the barrier of 2,000 specimens in 2023 (1,730 in Spain and 291 in Portugal).
“The efforts of the Portuguese and Spanish authorities have led to the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) recently moving from ‘endangered’ status to being classified as ‘vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species,” says the ICNF.
The monitoring and protection of the bottlenose dolphin population, which currently numbers 27 individuals, in the Sado Estuary, which has been going on for 40 years, is another of the nature conservation organization’s highlights.
The ICNF also highlights the importance of the creation of the Algarve Reef – Pedra do Valado Marine Natural Park in January of this year, which stretches along the coast of Albufeira, Lagoa and Silves, the first marine protected area to be created on the coast of mainland Portugal in the 21st century.
Other ICNF projects are also aimed at endangered species such as the black vulture, the black vulture or the hunting eagle, also known as the hunting tortoise.
Also noteworthy are the “efforts” to conserve the Iberian imperial eagle in Portugal and Spain, a species that became extinct in our country between 1980 and 2003.
On the other hand, the ICNF is also pleased with the adoption of the Nature Restoration Regulation at European level, “which will make it possible to restore at least 20% of the European Union’s land and sea areas by 2030, and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050”.
“Celebrating nature conservation is a right and a duty for all of us. Biodiversity loss, resource management, fair and sustainable exploitation and restoration are global challenges and require the involvement of society as a whole,” says the president of the ICNF’s board of directors, Nuno Banza, quoted in the statement.
National Nature Conservation Day was established in 1998, by resolution of the Council of Ministers, and aims to raise public awareness of environmental issues, particularly in relation to nature conservation and the promotion of the sustainable use of natural resources.
