The Atlantic floating garden: between protected areas, parks and gardens
Madeira will surprise the visitor with its diversity: that of its landscapes, very different from one part of the island to another, but also that of its flora, colorful and luxuriant, whose diversity can also be found in the gardens and on the market stalls in Funchal. Volcanism and geology have shaped the island with sometimes picturesque shapes, always varied relief and a particularly fertile land. The paths that cross it will make you discover peaks, steep cliffs falling into the sea, beaches and natural sea water pools, forests or terraced crops along canals. If many exotic species have been introduced in the island: palm trees, cork oaks, fig trees, eucalyptus, yuccas or agaves, there is still a native fauna and flora including endemic but fragile species. In the north of the island remains a primary forest of evergreen laurels. This laurel forest is one of the last vestiges of a larger forest from the Tertiary era (15 to 40 million years ago). This laurel forest is classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1999 and protected in its largest part within the Natural Park of Madeira. Created in 1982, its surface area covers two thirds of the island's territory, and it is home to endangered species such as the Madeira petrel or the Madeira trocas pigeon. Nature reserves complete the biodiversity protection system, such as the marine reserves of Garajau, Rocha do Navio, or Ponta de São Lourenço.
The Ecological Park of Funchal (Parque ecológico do Funchal), located in Pico do Arieiro, is a space for the conservation of natural and geological heritage. It has benefited from a reforestation program and is open to visitors and schools. Forest parks allow hikers to immerse themselves in the ecosystems of the laurel.
The Flora da Madeira Forest Park offers the beautiful site of Ribeiro Freio, on the west coast of Santana.
The Queimadas Forest Park is the starting point for beautiful hiking trails.
If Madeira can be considered as "the floating garden of the Atlantic", it is also because it is full of parks, gardens and quintas that will delight botanists or simply curious. We can't mention them all, but the attentive walker will discover them. The Botanical Garden of Funchal(Jardim Botânico) is located 300 meters above sea level, on the heights of the city (whose name, by the way, means "fennel"). It is home to many species from all over the world and invites you on a colorful journey. The Orchid Garden, a stone's throw from the Botanical Garden, has a collection of over 50,000 plants. For orchid lovers, there is a family garden, Quinta da Bela Vista, where you can admire beautiful varieties of orchids among other plants. The Monte Palace Tropical Garden on Monte Hill invites you to an immersive experience of many tropical species. Further on is the Monte Municipal Park. Free to enter, it is home to beautiful trees and offers a magnificent view of the bay of Funchal. St. Catherine's Park(Parque de Santa Catarina), which overlooks Funchal, is a popular place to take a walk. The Municipal Gardens, also called Dona Amélia Garden, are home to flora from all over the world and host many events. The Quinta Vigia Gardens are a small haven of peace. Outside of Funchal, there are other parks to visit. The Garden of Indigenous Plants of São Vicente is the ideal place to discover the local flora and its treasures. Rose lovers can go to Arco de São Jorge, in the north of the island, where the Quinta do Arco and its collection of roses from all over the world are located. In São Gonçalo, a park called Dragon Trees Nucleus is dedicated to the dragon tree, an emblematic and endangered species of the archipelago. The Palheiro Ferreiro Park(Palheiro Gardens) in São Gonçalo is partly made up of an English garden, orchid nurseries and a beautiful collection of camellias.Actions in favor of pollution prevention
The arrival of settlers on the island, the development of agriculture and then tourism have undermined the ecological balance. Deforestation and the artificialization of land have led to erosion and degradation of natural environments. The introduction of exotic species has contributed to the decline of endemic species. The island, which has a high population density (400 inhabitants/km2), now receives one million tourists a year, who use natural resources (water, energy) and produce waste. Faced with these pressures, Madeira has protected some remarkable natural areas and has taken action in terms of pollution prevention. A strategy, called "MaRaM", has been deployed to this end. It is intended to be participatory and based on environmental education of the youngest, training of professionals and cooperation of students. Since 2018, Madeira has been part of the Blue Flag initiative, which concerns the quality of bathing water and, in particular, carries out beach clean-up actions. While pollution prevention is thus the subject of programmes, the same applies to the preservation of resources. Projects are therefore aimed at setting up measuring devices and raising awareness of water saving, as well as actions to combat deforestation and the destruction of vegetation.
Plastic waste and incineration: the worrying issue of waste
However, the issue of waste is not fully addressed. Plastic pollution of the sea is sadly illustrated by the appearance of "plastic crusts" observed since 2016 on rocks along the coast. These are small pieces of plastic stuck to the rocks. The phenomenon is growing and affected 9.46% of the island's rocky surface in 2019, according to the scientists in charge of the monitoring system. Researchers are currently favouring the hypothesis of a global pollution phenomenon, even though to date no other observation of this type has been reported. The next objective will be to assess the impact of this plastic on marine invertebrates. Another area of concern is the treatment of waste produced on the island. The choice to install a waste incinerator has had the effect of slowing down recycling initiatives, particularly of bio-waste, and circular economy approaches. The rate of material recovery of waste in Madeira is very low (10% in 2007). The municipal waste recycling target - set at 55% by 2025 - seems difficult to achieve under these conditions. However, the introduction of material recovery, particularly of bio-waste, would be feasible, less costly and would be in line with the energy transition, as it would avoid greenhouse gas emissions.
The island is well on its way to the energy transition
Portugal has based its energy policy on the development of renewable energies. This strategy was initially based on a desire to create the conditions for energy independence from oil, following the 2008 crisis. This policy is in line with the fight against climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The island has thus gone from 15% renewable energy to 30% on average in 2018, thanks to hydroelectricity and wind power. The reason for this increase is the transformation of the Socorridos hydroelectric plant into a reversible generation system, which allows energy to be stored as water. Wind turbines produce energy, and when this production exceeds consumption, the excess energy is used to pump water back into the dam. This system allows a secure supply of water and electricity. It has also led to the construction of tunnels, canals and a pumping station, the environmental impacts of which can be questioned. The development of renewable energies in Madeira is also part of a project to build solar power plants that will be spread over different parts of the territory. This dispersal of power plants aims to promote their integration into the landscape (think of the tourists!), the social acceptance of the project among the inhabitants, but also to secure the system in a territory with several microclimates. The objective, with the addition of these solar power plants, was to reach a production of 50% of renewable energy in 2022. Geothermal energy projects are also being studied to further strengthen the island's energy autonomy. The country is also focusing on consumption control (awareness and participation of the inhabitants in the fight against energy waste) and energy efficiency (thermal rehabilitation of buildings through insulation work in particular). A large part of the island's energy consumption - and greenhouse gas emissions - comes from the transport sector (diesel and gasoline vehicles). In order to alleviate this problem, Madeira is considering the development of electric cars, in a smart grid system (the batteries would be recharged at night during off-peak hours). This last point seems virtuous, but it only shifts the problem, as the effectiveness of the energy transition is based on reducing car traffic and modal shift (towards public transport and active mobility). In any case, the example of Madero highlights the need for a proactive and participatory policy in order for this type of project to succeed.
