UPDATE: Due to the deteriorating weather forecast for today (Sunday), organisers have decided to cancel this event. “We apologise to everyone and hope to be able to reschedule it in the near future. Thank you”.
Environmental groups and local residents will gather near Lagoa’s Alagoas Brancas wetland on Sunday (February 1) to mark World Wetlands Day.
Often described by experts as a “Mini Doñana” (referencing Spain’s Doñana National Park in Andalusia, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994), Alagoas Brancas is one of the region’s most important wetland. Specialists classify it as a natural “blue belt” – semi-natural areas that retain, slow and filter rainwater, acting like urban sponges and helping to prevent flooding. Despite its ecological importance, campaigners say the site continues to lack adequate protection and care from local authorities.
Nearly a decade ago, the wetland came under the threat of development as bulldozers and machinery were brought in to level the land and make way for the construction of a supermarket. Local residents and environmentalists quickly intervened, carrying out protests and filing injunctions to halt the process. The municipal council eventually stepped in, purchasing the land from its owners and promising to safeguard the wetland.
Now, this guided visit aims to raise awareness of the crucial role wetlands play in biodiversity, water management and climate resilience, while encouraging public engagement in their preservation.
World Wetlands Day is officially marked on February 2, commemorating the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971. As organisers point out, wetlands are essential habitats for many threatened and endangered species, and countless plants and animals can only survive in these ecosystems. Human life, experts stress, is also deeply dependent on them.
Representatives from environmental associations Almargem, Cidade da Participação and LPN, as well as members of the municipal council of Lagoa, will be present to accompany the visit and provide technical information.
The event runs from 3.30pm to 5.30pm, with the meeting point at the Aldi supermarket car park in Lagoa. Participants are advised to wear warm, comfortable clothing and footwear, and to bring binoculars or a camera if possible.
The initiative is supported by several environmental organisations, including GEOTA, A Rocha, SPECO, Iris Ambiente and SPEA, and is open to anyone interested in learning more.
