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<\/p>\nClive Viney is the co-author (with Ray Tipper) of the book \u201cAlgarve Wildlife: The Natural Year.\u201d
\nAs a nature lover and a long-term resident of Tavira, he is alarmed at the erosion of land and the destruction of natural habitats in the nature reserve near Castro Marim. Part of the Reserve has been given over to \u201cthe latest fad of avocado planting\u201d.<\/p>\n
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He is asking questions and demanding answers from IICNF (Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests), SPEA ( Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds) and other agencies. His actions have prompted the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment to take an interest and investigate whether the planting of numerous avocado trees in the nature reserve has breached a European Directive.<\/p>\n
The questions he has been asking include: how was it possible that the traditional grassland in the nature reserve, close to Castro Marim, which is the natural habitat of the little bustard, has been has been destroyed and given over to avocado production? Is or is not the reserve located in a special protection area for birds or a special area of conservation demarcated by the EU Birds and Habitats Directive? Does this planting breach EU legislation? The Directorate-General for Environment is also questioning the destruction and wants answers. Should similar questions be asked in the Portuguese Parliament?<\/p>\n
Why are you so interested in this land near Castro Marim? What is the impact on wildlife? Previously, you could see other birds there, such as the golden plover and the northern lapwing, as well as flocks of larks and buntings. It was also one of the best places in the Algarve for spotting cuckoos, and you could frequently see a common crow, a peregrine falcon or a marsh harrier disturbing the other birds. And the large Iberian hares were another common feature. The migratory birds passing through the reserve included larks, wheatears and wagtails.They\u2019re all gone now because of what I suspect is an EU grant to the farmer to grow avocados.<\/p>\n So, who do you think is responsible for the destruction of this habitat? What would you like to happen? Is this the first time you’ve encountered this loss of a natural habitat? The Ria Formosa is the most sensitive part of the bird habitat. There are lots of salt pans that are very attractive to migrant birds. There are so many brownfield sites that they could have built the strawberry farms on, but they\u2019ve done it there. The area used to be the breeding ground for the stone curlew. Because of the greenhouses, they don\u2019t breed there any longer.<\/p>\n So, what is the primary question that needs an immediate answer? Notes:<\/span><\/p>\n Netflix – Rotten – The Avocado War.<\/p>\n In the 1970s avocados were sold as a luxury food. Now they are marketed as a super food. Each year, 11 billion avocados are consumed worldwide.<\/p>\n Avocados prefer a humid environment and need a good water supply.<\/p>\n Rotten – The Avocado War on Netflix is worth watching for its frightening portrayal of the impact of avocado farming. Two major threats to farmers are the rise of cartels in Mexico and the lack of access to water because of avocado production in Chile.<\/p>\n The drought in California has meant farmers are having to reduce avocado production. Similarly, in Chile, avocado farms taking water from the two main rivers has meant small traditional farms can no longer access water without payment. Small farmers are selling their land because of the water rights due to large-scale avocado production.<\/p>\n It is estimated that the Mexico drug cartels make $152 million a year from growing and selling avocados.<\/p>\n https:\/\/firstwefeast.com\/eat\/2015\/02\/blood-guacamole-mexican-cartels-run-avocado-trade-and-extort-farmers<\/p>\n It takes 220 gallons of water to grow an avocado.<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.slate.com\/articles\/technology\/future_tense\/2014\/05\/_10_percent_of_california_s_water_goes_to_almond_farming.html?via=gdpr-consent<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>I come to Cerro do Bufo, near Castro Marim, every six months or so, to walk and see the wildlife. I visited in late September this year and I was horrified by what I saw, a lifeless land. The low grassy hills at the heart of the reserve were gone, replaced with black plastic and many hectares of avocado trees. I went back at the end of October with my camera. There were no signs indicating private property and I did not go through any gates, but a car with a young man driving came towards me and asked me what I was doing. He told me to stop taking photos as they were not allowed. He asked for my camera, but I said I would leave and left promptly with my camera intact. It made me wonder what he was protecting and why? I would like to have seen a sign saying who had planted the trees. It\u2019s quite shocking what has been done to the land. I\u2019m not against monoculture, but in the centre of a nature reserve, it\u2019s tragic. Before these trees were planted, this area was farmland, pastureland, but nothing of any importance was grown on it. I always thought that a nature reserve would be protected from monoculture.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The little bustard is an extraordinary bird that naturally breeds there, but it won\u2019t breed there again, as it likes an open landscape. It will not have a breeding ground there in the future. Indeed, in the Algarve, this was probably the last place that they bred. So this bird will likely not be seen again.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Well, Instituto Conserva\u00e7\u00e3o da Natureza e das Florestas (ICNF) has a building in the reserve. It is not easy to access unless you are determined. I haven\u2019t seen them patrolling. I \u2019m not sure what they do. What is happening in the Algarve is genuinely shocking and someone must take responsibility. This plantation has destroyed the heart of one of our most famous nature reserves and dealt an irrecoverable blow to the area\u2019s biodiversity. I have contacted SPEA, the Portuguese Association for the protection of birds. They wrote back and asked me for a map which I have sent. If you look at the map, the green area, that huge chunk, is now all avocado trees. I have heard no more from SPEA. I have also contacted the British Bird Association, the RSPB. Even though they are a British Association, they have many international interests. They have referred the matter to BirdLife International. I have so far had no real response from these Associations \u2014 just silence.![\"\"](\"http:\/\/eco123.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/Little-Bustard.jpg\")
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\n<\/strong>I think we are faced with a fait accompli<\/strong>. What I want is the restoration of the original habitat. But I don\u2019t think I\u2019m going to get that. If they have an EU grant, if that is true, then I can\u2019t see how that can be reversed. Perhaps there\u2019s something we can do. There\u2019s still a lot of other land in the reserve, so we can stop it happening again. We can make the public aware of what is happening. We can try to make sure it doesn\u2019t occur anywhere else in the Algarve or in Portugal. We can ask questions about licences for water. Why are such licences being given? Are more wells being dug? What chemicals are being used and put into the ground? Why are birds and other wildlife not being protected?<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>No, a similar thing happened in the Ria Formosa, where they built large plastic greenhouses for growing strawberries. Who on earth gave them the approval? Is it the same organisation (ICNF) as in Castro Marim?<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Well, how could this have happened? Who approved it at Castro Marim? What are the people doing in that building in Castro Marim (ICNF)? The building is six or seven years old, but it has never been maintained. They were given a grant to put up information boards, mark out trails, build a bird-watching hide. The bird-watching hide has always been locked. The trails are overgrown. the signs have all been destroyed. I think visitors looking for the Interpretation Centre will find an uninviting building. I am a great believer that if you create a nature reserve, then you should let the public have access to it. Children should be able to go in and visit. The reserve is part of Portugal\u2019s natural heritage. It isn\u2019t an intangible heritage. It should be protected for future generations. I\u2019m not going to let this go. I\u2019ve written to so many people and we need to make sure the public gets behind this and stops any more devastation in the future.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/i>\n\t\t\tcliveviney@hotmail.com<\/div><\/div>\nO livro do Clive\/Clive\u2019s book\/Clives Buch Algarve Wildlife – The Natural Year https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Algarve-Wildlife-Natural-Clive-Viney\/dp\/0993450202\/ref=dp_ob_title_bk \n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>