> The LIFE Charcos Project made a new training course about the identification of Temporary Ponds, in Odemira, directed to nature watchers and technicians of ICNF, APA and militaries of GNR-SEPNA.
Within the framework of LIFE Charcos Project, the Training Course "Identification of Habitat 3170 - Mediterranean Temporary Ponds and their conservation status" was held on 8th of May, 2017 in Odemira, directed to nature watchers and technicians of the Institute of Nature Conservation (ICNF in Portuguese), Portuguese Environmental Agency (APA in Portuguese) and militaries of the Nature Protection and Environment Service of the National Republican Guard (GNR-SEPNA in Portuguese).
This Training Course complements the one held in May 2015, "Conservation of Temporary Ponds", with the aim of improving the knowledge of the target audience about Temporary Ponds, such as the importance of this habitat, its associated biodiversity and assessment of their conservation status.
In this Training Course it was intended to promote practical training in the identification of this habitat and its conservation status. Thus, a simplified methodology for the recognition of the habitat and its conservation status for non-specialists was created by the LIFE Charcos Project team.
The course was divided in two parts: a more theoretical one, where some characteristics of the Temporary Ponds and their biodiversity were recalled, aspects related to the development of the simplified tool and its correct form of application, as well as other tools available on-line, such as the website flora-on.pt. The second part consisted of a visit to a complex of Temporary Ponds for practical application of the simplified tool, in order to evaluate its functionality.
This training course was attended by about 20 participants who were able to experience in first-hand a methodology that facilitates the identification of Habitat 3170 and the evaluation of its conservation status.
At the end of the Training Course, the application of this tool for the recognition and evaluation of Mediterranean Temporary Ponds was confirmed, which together with the knowledge acquired enables the entities responsible for monitoring and supervising the territory to be better prepare to safeguarde in the long term this threatened habitat and priority to conservation.
