Helena Calado

Mapping invasive woody plants in Azores Protected Areas by using very high-resolution multispectral imagery

Abstract We assessed the effectiveness of very high spatial resolution IKONOS imagery for mapping a top invasive woody plant, Pittosporum undulatum, in a Protected Area in S.Miguel Island. We developed a segmentation-based classification scheme. A strong separability between most important land cover classes and a high accuracy in supervised classification maps was achieved. Overall separability improved significantly after the training data depuration process. Support Vector Machine and Maximum Likelihoods supervised classifiers showed a strong agreement and a good accuracy at land-cover class level, especially with P. undulatum. This approach was confirmed as a cost-effective method to map woody plant invaders in Azores Protected Areas.

Linking GMES Space Component to the development of land policies in Outermost Regions - the Azores (Portugal) case-study

Abstract The aim of this study is to assess the potential effectiveness of GMES Space Component Sentinel Missions for land-based environmental policy support in the Azores Autonomous Region (Portugal). Sixteen different types of legal and spatial instruments are currently being applied in this region. Most of them require detailed and accurate Land-use/Land-cover cartography in order to deliver reliable outputs at municipal, island and archipelagic scales. Sentinel-2 Mission products can fulfill these requirements in a cost-effective way. A Spatial Data Infrastructure-based Regional GMES framework is proposed in order to process, assess, validate and integrate this GMES data into the decision support system of Azorean regional land policies.

Strategies for marine wildlife tourism in small islands - the case of the Azores

ABSTRACT Bentz, J., Dearden, P., Calado, H., 2013. Strategies for marine wildlife tourism in small islands – the case of the Azores Small islands typically exhibit characteristics like isolation, smallness, limited natural and human resources, which limit their capacity to embrace development. Marine wildlife tourism (MWT) can combine the apparently conflicting goals of development and conservation. It has a potential to provide significant benefits to local communities and ecosystems, when it is carefully managed. The Azorean islands have a great potential for MWT, given highly diverse marine ecosystems and various types of resident and migrating cetaceans. Several MWT activities are taking place though lacking effective management. Whale watching and other MWT activities such as scuba diving have an increasingly important role within the tourism sector, as the Azores offer good conditions for watching oceanic species close to the shoreline. Recently shark-watching demonstrated potential for a new MWT activity. Managing these new emerging activities is required. There is no island or regional-wide strategy for MWT in the Azores, assessing its potentials and impacts and making recommendations on how it can be developed in a sustainable manner. The goal of this project is to contribute to the sustainable development of small island economies through developing guidelines that will ensure MWT as a mechanism to conserve nature while supplementing local livelihoods. A specific objective is to develop a conceptual model of MWT for small islands that can be integrated in regional planning instruments and apply the model to a specific case study, in order to recommend the optimal development strategies and necessary management interventions for MWT development in the Azores. As a first approach, experts and stakeholders of the whale watching industry were interviewed in order to develop an understanding about their interests and perceived problems of the activity in the Azores. The results showed various management gaps. The opinions of the interviewees differed especially upon the management of the activity and its current sustainability. It proved the necessity for further research to assess the effectiveness of management policies using an integrated approach that incorporates both social and biological aspects of this and other MWT industries. The authors suggest multidisciplinary, participatory approach for effective co-management, providing a holistic view of the problem and forming the basis for adaptive management and thus the long-term sustainability for the activity.

Maintaining a way of life for São Miguel Island (the Azores archipelago, Portugal): an assessment of coastal processes and protection.

Traditional hard engineering structures and recently emerging soft engineering alternatives have been employed to protect vulnerable coastlines. Despite negative publicity, they have ensured community survival where socio-economic benefits outweigh adverse impacts. This is especially true for Small Islands (SI) where increasing sea levels and storm intensities threaten already limited land availability. This paper presents coastal vulnerability in São Miguel Island (the Azores SI archipelago) and considers SI issues with regard to coastal land loss. Regional wave statistics using 1998 to 2011 wind record showed: periods ranging from 7 to 13s (circa 83%); wave heights between 1 and 3m (circa 60%); and increasing trends in westerly (p=0.473), easterly (p=0.632) and southeasterly (p=0.932) waves. Sea level analyses between 1978 and 2007 indicated a statistically significant rising trend (2.5 ± 0.4 mm yr(-1); p=0.000), while between 1996 and 2007 it was 3.3 ± 1.5 mm yr(-1) (p=0.025), agreeing with other global sea level studies. Based on 2001 and 2008 population data and using zonal statistics, circa 60% of the Islands population was found to reside within 1 km of the sea and the percentage of total population was linearly correlated with distance from the shoreline (r(2)=99%). Three case studies show hard coastal engineering solutions preserved Azorean coastal lifestyle and had little or no observed negative impacts on their environs. Although hard engineering is likely to remain a valuable and feasible coastal protection option, an inventory of São Miguels population distribution, surf breaks, bathymetry and coastal erosion rates showed the potential of using multifunctional artificial reefs as a soft engineering solution. These offshore submerged breakwaters offer coastal protection while providing additional benefits such as surfing amenity and beach widening. Consequently, findings of this work can inform other SI communities.

The relation of litter with bathing areas typologies, number of users and scenic value. The case study of São Miguel (Azores)

Several works on public perception of bathing area quality state that litter is one of the top concerns of users. Litter was also considered the top concern of bathing users regarding Bathing Area (BA) quality in São Miguel (Azores). This fact highly justifies the need to evaluate BA in this perspective. During 2009 summer 11 bathing areas, covering all the proposed BA typologies in São Miguel Island, were assessed and rated according to litter. The methodology was based on the EA/Protocol (Environmental Agency (UK)/National Aquatic Litter Group 2000). BA were graded from A to D (very good, good, fair and poor) on several litter categories: sewage related debris, gross litter, general litter, harmful litter, accumulations, oil or similar and faeces. Transects were sampled at 7 (o’clock) p.m. on sunny Sundays to achieve extreme situations. From the bathing areas assessed 4 were rated B (Good) and 7 rated C (Fair). During the same period the users perception regarding litter was assessed. Data obtained was related to bathing areas Scenic Evaluation Index (D) value, establishing a 5-class evaluation system. Some interactions between these factors (litter, BA typologies, public perception and scenic value) were analyzed and discussed. Scenic value doesn’t seem to affect users behavior regarding litter, however seems to affect the perception of users. Some of the bathing areas typologies seem to be more affected by litter, especially Urban and Semi-urban sandy beaches. BA cleaning processes and the relation of users with the area are the main reasons to this fact.

Assessing the efficiency of protected areas to represent biodiversity: a small island case study

Protected areas (PAs) have been selected using either subjective or objective criteria applied to an extremely limited subset of biodiversity. Improved availability of species distribution data, better statistical tools to predict species distributions and algorithms to optimize spatial conservation planning allow many impediments to be overcome, particularly on small islands. This study analyses whether 219 species are adequately protected by PAs on Pico Island (the Azores, Portugal), and if they are as efficient as possible, maximizing species protection while minimizing costs. We performed distribution modelling of species’ potential distributions, proposed individual conservation targets (considering the context of each species in the archipelago and their current conservation status) to determine the efficiency of current PAs in meeting such targets and identify alternative or complementary areas relevant for conservation. Results showed that current PAs do not cover all taxa, leaving out important areas for conservation. We demonstrate that by using optimization algorithms it is possible to include most species groups in spatial conservation planning in the Azores with the current resources. With increasing availability of data and methods, this approach could be readily extended to other islands and regions with high endemism levels.

Multifunctional artificial reefs for small islands An evaluation of amenity and opportunity for São Miguel Island, the Azores

Multifunctional artificial reefs (MFARs) have been growing in popularity over the last decade. They are offshore submerged structures which provide coastal protection while also enhancing marine and recreational amenities such as surfing and beach widening. A feasibility study was undertaken for São Miguel Island (Azores) where island-wide general site-selection criteria and local site-specific parameters identified São Roque reef as a potential MFAR location. Expert knowledge addressed multidisciplinary aspects through semi-guided interviews, which provided evaluation criteria for the São Roque reef development. Wave changes before and after reef reprofiling were determined using the Regional Coastal Process WAVE propagation model (CEDAS/RCPWAVE). Results demonstrated additional coastal protection to the historic church and existing seawalls, and no adverse effects on the updrift São Roque and downdrift Pópulo Milicias beaches. Further simulation for an extended reef (30 m seaward) showed model sensitivity together with a greater reduction in approaching wave heights. This analysis suggested that the further seaward the reef is extended, the greater the coastal protection afforded. It also denoted longer, rideable surfing waves and greater substrate surface area for marine colonization, while conversely having an increasing effect on downdrift Pópulo Milicias beach, construction costs and footprint impact. An optimal solution will provide a balance to these advantages and disadvantages. A SWOT analysis showed the potential of capitalizing internal strengths and external opportunities to offset internal weaknesses and external threats. With global growing emphasis on the importance of incorporating amenity values into coastal protection works, this research informs alternative solutions for other small islands, especially similar small volcanic islands.

Geographic Information System in a Multi-Criteria Tool for Mariculture Site Selection

The continuous growth in fish consumption and related activities is stressing the fishing industry worldwide. To counteract this, mariculture might represent an opportunity for consumers, industry and marine resource sustainability, as long as careful site selection is taken into consideration. The current study was developed to assess potential sites for the implementation of marine fish-cage industries on the Azores Archipelago (North Atlantic), through the application of a multi-criteria approach based on geographic information. Descriptors that may have either direct or indirect influences on the development of mariculture activity in the Açores were discriminated into factors and constraints and grouped into environmental, socioeconomic, and administrative categories. Factors were weighted and data integrated using geographic information system (GIS) methods. Suitability maps were generated and a total area of 17.7 km2 was identified as suitable for mariculture in São Miguel Island, segmented into different option levels. This multiple criteria approach provides the information necessary for stakeholders to realize the effects of each descriptor in possible implementation sites for mariculture. This will be a useful tool to improve environmental planning, management and decision-making for mariculture activities.

Spatial planning and resource use in the Azores

This paper examines spatial energy consumption patterns under the Green Islands Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Portugal Program. The project consisted of the elaboration of a Global Scenario: the assembly of all different land use scenarios established among different Spatial Plans, to understand the future demand for energy in the Azores. To achieve this, all Spatial Plans were assessed and the pattern of land use/energy consumption presented. Based on foreseen land use, future demand for energy was determined. Measures to minimize the effects of production and consumption were also assessed and presented. This study demonstrates that demand for energy in the Azores will increase in the future, with the urban and agricultural sectors being mostly responsible for that growth. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) mechanisms and tools associated with effective forest management seem to be a possible solution to decrease the negative effects of demand for energy growth. The development of a new research area based on Strategic Spatial Planning for Energy Consumption Reduction and REDD strategies is recommended.

Preliminary coastal vulnerability assessment for Pico Island (Azores)

ABSTRACT Borges, P., Phillips, M.R., Ng, K., Medeiros, A., Calado, H., 2014. Preliminary coastal vulnerability assessment for Pico Island (Azores). In: Green, A.N. and Cooper, J.A.G. (eds.), Proceedings 13th International Coastal Symposium (Durban, South Africa), Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 70, pp. 385–388, ISSN 0749-0208. The SMARTPARKS project (PTDC/AAC-AMB/098786/2008), funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), aims at establishing a planning and management system for small island (SI) protected areas (PA). Diverging from traditional no-take zone protected areas this project strives to integrate human activities, economic and cultural development, and conservation objectives. Pico Island in the Azores archipelago was selected as a suitable case study site. Pico is a Natural Park with 35% of its area being classified as PAs. This paper presents the assessment of relative coastal vulnerability of Pico to erosion and coastal flooding in order to determine how best to manage the PAs with respects to coastal hazards. A Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) was developed based on remote sensing and fieldwork data whereby a set of physical coastal parameters, which serve as indicators of vulnerability, were obtained: type of cliff; exposure to swell/storm waves; outcrop flooded; and coastal defences. The CVI values were used to rate coastal segments into five classes ranging from extremely low to very high based on its relative degree of vulnerability. CVI will provide input into a decision support tool to facilitate effective planning and management on Pico Island Natural Park with the potential of adapting and extending this approach to the other SIs.