Nordeste and Povoação, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal
Ongoing implementation
Local level
On São Miguel’s east, intensive restoration of laurel forest and peat bogs has reversed the decline of the Azores bullfinch (Priolo), shifting its IUCN status from “Critically Endangered” to “Vulnerable.” The programme combined invasive alien species removal, large-scale native planting, peatland rewetting, a robust education and monitoring effort, and participatory tourism planning—delivering biodiversity gains and local socio-economic benefits.
The Azores bullfinch’s core habitat was overrun by invasive plants, which displaced native laurel forest food resources. Restoration on steep terrain is costly and technically demanding, and the work unfolds in rural municipalities facing depopulation and unemployment. The project sought to rebuild native habitats, stabilise soils and hydrology, and create local economic opportunities linked to conservation, while raising awareness and ensuring long-term stewardship despite funding uncertainties.
The project removed invasive alien plant species across steep laurel forest terrain using chemical control, stabilised soils with bioengineering, and replanted with native/endemic species grown in local nurseries. Peatlands were restored by excluding grazing, removing invasives, closing drains, and inoculating peat-forming mosses. A comprehensive education programme, a dedicated interpretation centre, and participatory sustainable tourism planning mobilised local support and built a nature-based economy. Continuous ecological and socio-economic monitoring guided adaptive management.
Ecological restoration of natural habitats was selected as the core intervention following a scientific diagnosis and the definition of a Species Action Plan for the Azores bullfinch. The work focused on reversing the impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) that had come to dominate the native laurel forest and associated peat bogs, reducing food availability for the bird and degrading key habitats. Implementation had to be adapted to steep, difficult terrain, requiring the development and use of specific IAS control and bioengineering approaches, supported by an advisory board.
Laurel forest restoration was implemented primarily through chemical control of IAS, as manual and mechanical methods were found ineffective. After invasive removal, teams stabilised soils and slopes, using natural engineering techniques where needed, and replanted with native and endemic species supplied by dedicated nurseries. In areas dominated by dense, near-monoculture IAS stands, invasive trees were logged and treated chemically, and in other cases standing trees were chemically treated; the choice of method depended on terrain conditions. By the time of reporting, more than 350 hectares of native forest had been restored (including 295 hectares of humid laurel forest and 31 hectares of highly degraded mesic laurel forest), with a further 80 hectares planned within the ongoing project.
Peatland restoration combined pressure removal and hydrological repair. Grazing cattle were excluded from restoration areas; IAS (notably Gunnera tinctoria) were removed manually; drainage ditches were closed to re-wet the peatland; and peatland mosses were inoculated into the newly formed flooding pools to accelerate recovery. This active peatland restoration was carried out over 75 hectares and generated techniques later replicated elsewhere in the Azores.
To ensure sufficient planting material for restoration, production capacity for native and endemic plants was expanded. The Regional Directorate for Forestry Resources increased its existing production of native and endemic tree species, while the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds built a new nursery to supply additional species, particularly herbaceous and shrubby plants needed to improve ground cover. The new nursery also supported seed collection for hydro-seeding. Together, the nurseries reached an annual output of around 40,000 plants and about 160 kg of seeds, and were also used for education and to promote native species in gardening.
Implementation was supported by a structured monitoring programme used to guide adaptive management. Bullfinch population monitoring included an annual census by a project technician (May–June), a juvenile census in September to assess reproductive success, and a winter census every four years. Every four years, an “Atlas of Priolo” mobilised around 50 volunteers to count the global population over one or two days, providing a more robust estimate and serving as a public engagement event. Restoration monitoring assessed native vegetation recovery annually in intervention areas using random 10 x 10 metre plots compared between restored and control sites; new plantations were checked for establishment problems. Where interventions were near water lines or other sensitive features, additional monitoring (e.g. water analysis) was introduced to manage risks and ensure safety. Regular maintenance of restored areas was treated as essential for long-term success.
Recognising that long-term restoration depended on local support, implementation also included an Environmental Education Programme and broader awareness-raising. The education programme was co-designed with teachers through workshops and delivered across all levels of basic education (pre-school to 12th year, including professional training), with curriculum-linked activities ranging from classroom work to games and outdoor visits to the Priolo Interpretation Centre, nurseries and the protected area. Teaching materials were produced for teacher-led use, and a certified teacher training programme was established (150 teachers trained). In parallel, communication relied on press and social media, and a regular programme of public activities, including volunteering, enabled residents and visitors to participate directly in conservation actions.
A dedicated visitor facility—the Priolo Interpretation Centre—opened in 2007 to strengthen outreach and on-site engagement. It provided exhibitions on the species, its habitat and the conservation actions underway, and supported educational activities for schools and the local population. The centre also offered visitor information and included a small shop and donation box; entry was not charged, to encourage repeat visits by local residents while still receiving donations from visitors.
As tourism interest increased, a Participatory Sustainable Tourism Planning process was initiated in 2010 to manage visitor pressure and align tourism with conservation. Regional government directorates (environment, tourism and forestry), an NGO (Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds), the Azores Geopark, the municipalities of Nordeste and Povoação, private tourism companies and local people jointly developed a strategy and action plan. A first five-year plan (2012–2016) set out 55 actions, most of which were implemented or initiated by 2016; it was then evaluated and replaced with a new plan containing 77 actions and additional partners. Tourism companies could formalise commitments by signing into the “Priolo Brand”. Maintaining stakeholder engagement was identified as demanding, requiring continuous feedback, monitoring of implementation and sustainability indicators, and careful management of expectations.
Information not available yet.
