Wetlands are critically endangered habitats in Europe and have shown the greatest levels of decline in the last 50 years of European history. Saltmarsh areas have been consecutively occupied by intensive and/or industrial socio-economic activities, with low levels of sustainability (construction, super-intensive fish farming, intensive or greenhouse agriculture, energy uses on the seabed, or indirect action originating in hydroelectric plants and/or intensive irrigated agriculture). One of the traditional and sustainable surviving activities, with levels of biodiversity protection in halophytic and saline environments, is the salt production activity.

The Bio-Ilhas Project aims to boost, increase, promote and stimulate biodiversity levels, namely nesting bird communities, through the construction of artificial islands in salt ponds, or in abandoned salt pans, in order to rehabilitate them.

This project is funded by Viridia – Conservation in action.

See a brief presentation of the project here: Bio-Ilhas Project Presentation