The ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ต๐ข๐ต improvement for the Ground beetle (๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฉ๐ถ๐ด ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ณ๐ข๐ฃ๐ณ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ด) is one of the main objectives of the LIFE BEETLES project. This species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN, and one of its threats is the loss of ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ต๐ข๐ต due to the increase of invasive flora species (IAS).
As part of the project, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change promotes the control of invasive species, such as the Wild Ginger (๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐บ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ถ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ข๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฎ). Focusing on areas of pristine native forest on Terceira island, this control makes it possible to halt the advance of IAS, and consequent degradation of this ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ต๐ข๐ต unique to the Azores. These works are carried out frequently and involve several phases, from an initial identification and geo-referencing of IAS outbreaks, the removal of the outbreaks and finally its monitoring to ensure the complete removal of IAS.
