The ‘Natural Heritage and Protected Areas of the Azores’ training course, organised by the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, took place over the last two weeks. It was a result of collaboration between the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action and the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies.

This initiative’s main aim was to train professionals from the Regional Public Administration, tour operators, university students, and other sectors that deal directly with protected areas and species in the Azores, both terrestrial and marine.

The training covered topics such as environmental legislation, marine and terrestrial biodiversity, recent studies on species and environmental phenomena, and designations and legislative advances in the protection of protected areas.

The face-to-face sessions took place on the islands of Faial, Terceira, and São Miguel, complemented by an online component that allowed people from other islands to take part. More than 200 people took part in the training, which both the speakers and the trainees widely praised.