LIFE RIBERMINE was present at the “Pulo do Lobo Ethnobotanical Journeys”, at the invitation of the organizar of the event, the Montícola Association. The journeys took place between the 25th and 27th of March, in Amendoeira da Serra (Mértola, Portugal), with the project being part of the panel of lectures, during the afternoon of the 26th, with the communication “LIFE RIBERMINE, a Pioneer Project in Portugal”.
Pulo do Lobo Ethnobotanical Journeys.
This presentation was promoted by a member of the Portuguese Partner (Mónica Martins from the Lousal Live Science Center), focusing especially on the Pilot Project of Lousal (PPLousal). The intervention carried out on the ground between September and December 2021 – with the aim of minimizing and mitigating the negative environmental impacts of mining metallic ores, namely pyrites, which cause Acid Mining Drainage, impairing the quality of soils and waters in the region -, was explained, and the advances observed in the field to date were shown.
Life Ribermine was part of the panel of lectures with the “Lousal Pilot Project”.
It should be noted that the region of Mértola, located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, like Lousal, has important ore deposits, namely in the former São Domingos Mine, and similar environmental liabilities, thus adapting to this and other mines in the region the application of the Best Available Techniques used by LIFE RIBERMINE in the PPLousal.
Mónica Martins (Lousal Live Science Center) presented the communication “LIFE RIBERMINE, a Pioneer Project in Portugal”. (26th March 2022)
Given the context of the Jouneys, several aspects related to revegetation in Lousal were detailed, such as the selection of species to be applied, the evolution of the vegetation cover in the intervention area, its contribution to biodiversity, among others. The relevance of LIFE RIBERMINE was recognized by the assistants, who were very pleased by the potential of this project and asked several questions.
During the morning of the 27th, LIFE RIBERMINE had the opportunity to get to know some areas of intervention, and exchange ideas with stakeholders from other Life projects taking place in the Mértola region, namely the LIFE Desert-Adapt and the Life LIFE-Adapt projects. Through field trips in pilot areas of the “Sociedade Agrícola Vargas e Madeira”, the fundamentals of these projects were shown and explained in situ, which aim to contribute to the sustainable adaptation of agricultural and agro-forestry areas, such as the holm oak and cork oak “montados”, in the face of climatic changes and the increasing desertification that occurs in these Mediterranean territories, particularly susceptible to drought and desertification, problems that also affect the Lousal region.
Field trip of the Life Desert-Adapt and Life LIFE-Adapt Projects to the pilot areas of “Sociedade Agrícola Vargas e Madeira”, guided by João Madeira and João Gonçalo (Gigantes Verdes). (27th March 2022)
The “Pulo do Lobo Ethnobotanical Journeys” were, therefore, a privileged and propitious occasion for the exchange of ideas and knowledge, in which LIFE RIBERMINE is pleased to have participated.
Group photo with representatives from LIFE Desert-Adapt, LIFE Life-Adapt and LIFE RIBERMINE, among other participants.
