The LIFE BEETLES project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change, has as one of its main objectives the removal of invasive flora species to improve the habitat of the project’s target species on the three islands where it operates.
The removal of these invasive species often leaves bare areas, which are regularly monitored by the project’s field teams. What has been seen is that the natural native flora of the areas, such as Short Leafed Juniper (Juniperus brevifolia), Azorean Heather (Erica azorica) or Sphagnum spp., begins to emerge after the threat of invasive species has been removed, occupying their natural space.
This process shows evidence that the invasive species control actions carried out in the LIFE BEETLES project intervention areas have had a positive impact and are important for the conservation of our natural areas.
