Lourinhã is the first municipality in the country to prevent the placement of scaffolding for works in the public space when there are swallow nests, so as not to disturb their reproduction.
Swallow nests harassed by civil construction? From today, in Lourinhãto the requests for occupation of public space for scaffolding, the House will question the applicants of the existence or not of swallow nests in the eaves or facades of the buildings to be intervened and the opinion or authorization of the Nature and Forest Conservation Institute (ICNF) for the works.
Basque CruzCoordinator of the National Swallow and Swallows Conservation Project, Andorin, of the Vita Native Association, confirmed to Lusa is an unprecedented measure by the municipalities.
“I think it is excellent and it is a very well thought out solution when we are studying solutions for protect the swallows”He said, adding that“ a large amount of works have to respect the presence of these birds ”, although there are no municipal licensing, such as the painting of a home.
The order of the mayor of June 26 resulted from a proposal made to the City Council by the Local Lourambi Environmental Association, under his campaign for the sensitization and protection of the swallows.
“We believe that this measure, in addition to contributing to the compliance with national and community legislation on nature conservation, can assume a pedagogical character, sensitizing residents, technicians and contractors for importance of urban biodiversity and harmonious coexistence With these protected species, ”says Lourambi in a press release sent to Lusa.
The association has been increasingly receiving complaints from illegal destruction of nestswell of requests for information and collaboration by local rehabilitation and painting companies.
“This increase shows that more people are today informed, attentive and trained to act in defense of the swallows, namely during their reproduction period – spring and summer, when it is absolutely Prohibited remove nests or disturb the reproduction of these protected birds”Warned local environmentalists.
In December, the Court of Loures condemned the Institute of Financial Management and Equipment of Justice (IGFEJ), under the Ministry of Justice, for disturbing and destroying a colony of Andorinhas with works at the Lourinhã Palace, after action filed by the same environmentalist Association
The Court also proved that the direct adjustment competition of the IGFEJ was launched on October 21, 2023, the works awarded on November 20 of that year and the intervention that began on April 8, 2024, and the works were suspended by GNR intervention and Lourambi denunciation.
In accordance with the legislation in force, the ICNF has to authorize the destruction of nests of empty swallows and works whenever there are nests with swallowsconditioning them by norm during the reproduction phase of the species.
In Portugal, there are five species of swallows and five other Andorilions, according to the Andorin project.
