February news flash

Thymus camphoratus, a rare plant species which has been affected by the damage to the Natura 2000 site.

Algarve development damages Natura 2000 site

The Ria de Alvor and the adjacent headland, showing how the marshland and scrub has been ploughed and cleared for yet more tourist developments. Credit: John Cheverton

In BBC Radio 4’s Costing the Earth programme on 21 December, Eduardo Gonçalves of WWF and Marcial Felgueiras of A Rocha Portugal reported on the dramatic loss of wildlife in their country during the last three decades. The Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus and Iberian Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti are on the verge of extinction, and many widespread species are becoming scarce. The programme concluded that Portugal serves as a stark warning to Bulgaria and Romania, already being hailed as the next investment opportunities for developers, as they join the EU. Will they learn the lessons from Portugal’s mistakes? And has Portugal learned anything? The Ria de Alvor, a Natura 2000 site important for its marshland and rare plants, is being damaged despite protests from A Rocha Portugal and other conservation organisations. See the ARP newsletter no. 2 (in English.)

A floating classroom in London

The Mayor of Hillingdon with the local schoolboy who chose the name for the new boat.

For several years A Rocha UK has been involved in a partnership to get a purpose-built floating classroom for the Grand Union Canal in West London. In November the A Rocha team, the Mayor of Hillingdon, school children and members of the local community celebrated the naming of the new boat, Elsdale II. During term-time the boat can be used by schools for environment, science and history lessons, and during the evening and weekends it is available for private hire. A Rocha oversees the education programme on the boat, and the education officer says, “The boat is a fantastic resource. Although many local children live near the canal, they have never been on a boat before and find it really exciting. It will help change local perspectives of the canal as a smelly, polluted place. The boat can open people’s eyes to see it as a peaceful haven for wildlife.”

New leadership for A Rocha

Marie with her family: later this year they will move from Australia to France, when she takes up the post full-time.

We're delighted to announce that Dr Marie Connett Porceddu has accepted our invitation to become the first Chief Executive Officer Designate of A Rocha International. Dr Connett Porceddu brings a huge amount of experience in both scientific research and management. She has a PhD from Cornell University in Botany, which followed a biology degree with a plant taxonomy and conservation focus, and an MBA from the University of South Carolina in Business Management. Her professional experience includes ten years in forestry in Australasia and the Americas, motivated by the desire to foster efficient forestry practices without damaging neighbouring natural habitats. She brings a wonderful cross-cultural perspective to the post, as she is a national of Italy, the USA and New Zealand, currently lives in Australia and speaks French, Spanish, Italian and German, as well as her native English.