Among its nature conservation actions, the LIFE BEETLES project includes the collection of seeds of endemic plant species, which are essential for producing the planting needed to fulfil its objectives.
The seeds are collected by Park Rangers and specialised technicians from the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action at times that vary throughout the year, depending on the species and population in question.
This action depends on the collaboration of the Environment and Climate Action Services of each island covered by the project, which promote the collection, cleaning and treatment of the seeds to optimise the likelihood of obtaining healthy planting ready for use in the field, contributing to the recovery of degraded areas where the number of endemic species is low.
After collection, the seeds are delivered to the Nursery of Rare Plants of the Faial Botanic Garden (herbaceous species) and to the Forestry Services Nurseries on Terceira, Pico and Flores islands (ligneous species), where they are germinated and cultivated until they are ready to be planted in the project’s intervention areas.
