A citizens’ movement has called on the government of the Azores to increase protection of the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, in Flores, demanding that this ex-libris of the island remain “freely accessible to the community”

In a letter addressed to the President of the Azorean Executive, the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro Citizens’ Movement warns of the need to “clarify various issues that have been left open” following the controversy surrounding access to that landscape, demanding a “written commitment” from the Regional Government.

“Two types of efforts are urgently needed: the first to urgently protect the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, in order to avoid greater harm; the second to avoid future harm, not only in this location, but throughout the island,” reads the letter, which was also sent to various members of the regional political class and to Portugal’s representation at UNESCO.

On February 20, the Azorean government assured that access to and enjoyment of the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro visitation area would continue “free of charge, without any kind of interdiction, restriction or conditioning”, after several complaints from the population about the possibility of landowners conditioning access.

The movement stresses that the clearing that has opened up in the vicinity of the landscape, one of the most emblematic in the Azores, has left the inhabitants “alert,” and they favor classifying the site as a Natural Monument.

“With regard to the delimitation of paths and accesses in the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro area, and not just those that give direct access to them, it is necessary to define and register them, in order to guarantee that they cannot be privatized or closed off by private individuals, keeping them as public spaces with free access,” they stress.

The citizens’ group is asking the regional government about the “exact delimitation of the visitation area agreed with the owners of the land” and whether it will prevent the construction of leisure spaces on the site.

The movement also wants to know whether the Azorean government will exercise its right of first refusal to buy the land involving the landscape and whether it intends to limit the number of visitors to preserve the peace and protection of the seabirds.

“It is also urgent to define a perimeter of protection around the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, to be included in the protection zone of a future natural monument, to avoid the degradation of the landscape in the area and guarantee the preservation of natural resources.”

The Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro Citizens’ Movement recommends a study to analyze and characterize the landscape of the island of Flores, creating a “guidance document” for landowners and measures to combat and prevent invasive species.

“Current and future owners of the Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro should be required to submit a written project for any intervention on the site,” they argue.

Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro is one of the most iconic landscapes in the Azores. It is a lagoon formed by waterfalls.

In Diário dos Açores-Osvaldo Cabral, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.