Poiares gets tough on invasive plant species

Invasive flora has proliferated after forest fires

Forest management related to wildfires is not only reduced to efforts to put out the destructive flames. This week, for example, the Municipality of Vila Nova de Poiares in Portugal, together with the management of the local Forest Intervention Zone (ZIF) carried out specialized activities related to the eradication and control of invasive plant species, such acacias (or mimosas) and hakeas. This was done in the vicinity of the Complexo das Piscinas da Fraga, a local tourist and leisure resort.

This week is the national week on control of invasive species in Portugal

These activities took place in the context of the national week dedicated to controlling invasive species. They were useful training practice for forestry specialists and the so-called sapadores forestais (forest sappers), who are professionals trained in the management of wild areas with a view to prevention and fighting forest fires.

Perhaps ironically, forest fires have contributed to a boom in the growth of invasive plants. These, however, even if having pretty flowers (such as the mimosa) represent a threat to the native flora and from there can produce negative consequences for the environment and way of life.

The Municipality of Vila Nova de Poiares reminded residents that, after hard work involving the parish councils and hundreds of landowners, three ZIFs have been created on its territory since October 2017.

“The professional management of the ZIFs will make it possible to reduce the risk and severity of possible forest fires while improving the ecological and environmental balance in the territory, through its parcellation,” said João Miguel Henriques, mayor of Vila Nova de Poiares.

He explained that “this gain in scale will bring advantages through the diversification of the structure of forests, as well as an increase in the profitability of forest production, reducing the costs of exploitation and increasing the price of the goods produced”.