> Seminars on Temporary Ponds and other Wetlands allowed sharing knowledge and experience among various international experts.
The LIFE Charcos Project Seminar was held in early May at the University of the Algarve in Faro, in association with two other events on wetland conservation: the 7th EPCN Workshop (European Pond Conservation Network) and the 12th SWS Meeting - European Chapter (Society of Wetland Scientists).
The LIFE Projects session was held on 3rd of May. In an interesting and much debated session, the LIFE Charcos Project presented the results achieved with the experience gained in the recovery of Temporary Ponds and, the central role that environmental education and awareness plays in increasing public awareness for this sensitive habitat.
Pere Fraga, a landscapist and botanist specialized in flora of Menorca, Spain, was the guest speaker for the opening session, where he gave an interesting presentation about the contribution of LIFE Program for the conservation of Temporary Ponds and other habitats. Pere Fraga was technical and scientific coordinator of three LIFE projects that took place on the island of Menorca and is also a member of the Scientific Committee of the LIFE Charcos Project.
In the LIFE session, LIFE Saramugo Project was also presented. The aim of this LIFE project is the habitat conservation of Saramugo (Anaecypris hispanica) in the Guadiana Basin, one of the most endangered feshwater fish species in the Iberian Peninsula.
Two other LIFE projects presented were the ones that are undergoing in Poland (LIFE KAMPINOS WETLANDS and LIFERADOMKLIMA) and that the aim is wetland conservation and climate change adaptation. The project Charcos com Vida - "Ponds with Life", which since 2011 promotes the construction of ponds in Portugal, was also presented. Plus, the IMPRINT+ project, funded by the Erasmus+ program, developed by the University of Aveiro in conjunction with other partners in Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy, was also presented and explained that it develops a web application with the aim of reducing personal ecological footprint by converting daily actions into positive environmental actions.
The 4th of May was dedicated to the fieldtrips to two Temporary Ponds in Vila do Bispo that were intervened by the Project LIFE Charcos. The participants had the opportunity to observe some of the existing biodiversity, to understand the interventions made in these Temporary Ponds, and to witness the results of the implemented measures.
At the end of the day and in recognition of its contribution to the safeguarding of natural values at European level, the 25th anniversary of the LIFE Program and the Habitats Directive were celebrated.
The purpose of these events was to foster the exchange of experiences between projects on the ground that implement habitat management actions for the conservation of these wetlands, as well as the transfer of knowledge among technicians, scientists and the general public.
The joint organization of the 3 events promoted the participation of several national and foreign experts, with the participation of the General-Secretary of Ramsar Convention, Martha Rojas-Urrego. In her speech she stressed the importance of wetlands for biodiversity and also for combating climate change by the ecosystem services that these habitats play. The Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty providing the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
