AÇOREANA, 2007, Supl. 5: 162-172

THE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PLAN OF SANTA MARIA AS A CHANCE FOR FOSSILIFEROUS OUTCROPS MANAGEMENT

Calado, H. 1, 2, S.P. Ávila 3, 4, 5 & P. 3, 4

1 Secção de Geografia, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Mãe de Deus, 9501-855 , , 2 CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos - Pólo Açores, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, Rua da Mãe de Deus, Apartado 1422, 9501- 855 Ponta Delgada, Azores, PORTUGAL 3 MPB, Marine PalaeoBiogeography Working Group of the University of Azores, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9501-855 Ponta Delgada, Azores, PORTUGAL, e-mail: [email protected] 4 Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Mãe de Deus, 9501-855 Ponta Delgada, Azores, PORTUGAL 5 Centro do IMAR da Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Azores, PORTUGAL

INTRODUCTION fruition (UNESCO, 1997; Mota et al., 2004; DROTRH/SRAM, 2006; he Azores Environment and Sea MAOTDR, 2006). TAgency through its Regional The general goal of the project Department of Land Management consists on stimulating practices to and Water Resources, together with the sustainable management of the the Agency of Land Management of coastal areas of the Azores, Madeira the Autonomous Government of The and . As specific objec- Canary Islands and the Regional tives, the following stand out: Cabinet of Transport and Social to strengthen the cooperation Equipment of the Autonomous between the authorities; Government of Madeira carry on the to identify the problems and the com- project “Sustainable Management of mon potential of the coastal areas of the Social, Economic and Ecological the islands; Development of the coastal areas of to train human resources: Macaronesia within the community Management and Preservation of initiative INTERREG III B 2000-2006, Resources; Açores-Madeira-Canary Islands, to contribute for the improvement which has been designated as of the state of the coastal ecosystems LITOSOST. of the EU islands. The LITOSOST project aims at The intervention area of this pro- achieving land management of a ject in the Autonomous Region of the coastal area which focuses on reduc- Azores, are the islands Santa Maria, ing the urban and infra-structural , Flores and Corvo, the main pressure and regenerating, recover- goal consists in the elaboration of the ing and converting it for public Coastal Zone Management Plans. CALADO ET AL: COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PLAN 163

MATERIALS AND METHODS May, 12th. These plans constitute a Governmental extra means of inter- Definition of Coastal Zone vention and aim at achieving objec- Management Plan tives of national interest with spatial The Coastal Zone Management repercussions, establishing safeguard Plans (CZMP) are considered as regimes for resources and natural Special Land Management Plans, as values, ensuring the permanence of mentioned in the Law-Decree nr systems which are fundamental to 380/99 dated from September, 22nd, the sustainable land use. altered and re-published by the Law- Decree 310/2003, dated from Intervention Area December, 10th, which establishes the The definition of the intervention juridical regime of the Land area for the CZMP is presented in the Management Instruments/Tools. It areas defined in Fig. 1. When the has been adapted to the Azores beach stretches beyond the estab- Region through the Regional lished width, the bank will be extend- Legislative Decree nr 14/2004, dated ed according to the limits defined in from May, 23rd, altered and re-pub- the CZMP. In the process of design- lished by the Regional Legislative ing this area, some practical aspects Decree nr 24/2003/A, dated from must be pointed out:

FIGURE 1. Intervention (operational) and Study Area of the CZMP. LowEST – Lowest level of equinox spring tide. HighEST – highest level of equinox spring tide. 164 AÇOREANA 2007, Supl. 5: 162-172

a) the sea limit representing the the bathymetric of -30m and Protection Sea Zone of Santa the coastline; Maria Island has been found b) The coastal strip 500 metres by interpolating the bathymet- wide, measured from the ric of the -50m and – 20 m; coastline inland. b) the island’s limit, which equals the sea level, as been taken as Coastal Zone Management Plan the land limit of the Protection main Goals Sea Zone of Santa Maria The CZMP aims at integrating the Island, due to lack of informa- socio-economic development with tion concerning the highest environmental protection and level of high tide of the improvement, urban planning and equinox spring tide; management, besides protecting the c) coastline has been assumed to coast, promoting the communication meet the sea level, as shown in between institutions and public par- the vectorial information, of ticipation. The environmental plan- the Geographic Institute. ning is based on a set of guidelines, in order to achieve a holistic manage- In order to simplify the graphic ment of all resources, regardless their representation, the AI is shown in nature – economic, social, cultural or two distinctive units as in Fig. 2: natural – ensuring, thus, a sustainable a) Protection Sea Zone, between development (Beller et al., 1990).

FIGURE 2. Limits of the intervention area of . At yellow, the pro- tected terrestrial zone; at blue, the bathymetry of 30m depth. CALADO ET AL: COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PLAN 165

According to the Law-Decree nr and environmental importance, but, 309/93, dated from September, 2nd, very sensitive, a proper land use changed by the Law-Decree nr management of this place must be 218/94, dated from August, 20th, and observed. The guidelines concerning by the Law-Decree nr 113/97, dated the coastal interventions are defined from May, 10th, and still in accor- in the Resolution nr 138/2000, dated dance with the adaptation done con- from August, 17th, which sets the cerning the Autonomous Region of guidelines regarding the interven- the Azores, in the Regional legislative tions on the coastal areas: Decree nr 18/98/A, dated from a) environmental protection and November, 9th, the objectives of the valuation of the natural and CZMP are as follow: landscape resources; a) to rank the different uses and b) integration of the water practices; resources in the comprehen- b) to classify the beaches and reg- sive coastal planning, aiming ulate the bathing use; at its sustainable development; c) to value the beaches consid- c) promotion of the socio-eco- ered as strategic, due to envi- nomic development; ronmental or tourist reasons; d) transport and communications d) to lead the development of as regional cohesion factors; specific activities of the coastal e) improvement of the popula- area; tion’s life standard; e) to preserve nature. f) preservation of the coastal area; g) preservation of the sea environ- The fulfilment of the guidelines ment adjacent to the coast. regarding the interventions on the coastal area implies that a set of prin- The general objectives underlying ciples is observed during the elabora- the elaboration of the CZMP reflect tion of the CZMP. The principles different concerns and support the established by law, to be observed issues which are intended to be pre- during the elaboration of the plan are vented and will be presented accord- the following: ingly with specific goals for the coastal a) protection of the biophysical area of each island. The goals include integrity of the space; simultaneously the specificities (urban b) valuation of the coastal and legal) of this Land Management resources; Plan tool, the coastal planning on c) preservation of landscape and islands and the specific features of the environmental values. coastal areas of the islands. According to the Resolution nr 138/2000, dated Taking into consideration the from August, 17th, the general objec- pressures which exist along the tives underlying the elaboration of the coastal area and being the ecosystems CZMP concern: of an immense natural, landscape a) respect for the soil conditions, 166 AÇOREANA 2007, Supl. 5: 162-172

FIGURE 3. Methodology of the different stages of the CZMP of Santa Maria Island (Azores). CALADO ET AL: COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PLAN 167

preservation of the resource and Promotion of the Fossil Deposits water and delimitation of risk of the Island Santa Maria”. Therefore, areas; the fossil deposits management is a b) urbanization (limits, con- part of the CZMP proposals and will straints, uses of the urban soil, be one of the conditions defined to etc.); achieve the suatainable use of c) building (construction stabili- resources and coastal development. ty, construction typology per The island of Santa Maria is the soil, use and building area); only one in the Azores archipelago to d) cultural trend and dimension have visible fossiliferous outcrops. of each island; These are often characterised by their e) institutional communication value and good state of preservation. and plan management. Most of these outcrops are Late- Miocene Early-Pliocene of age (e.g., Figueiral, “Pedra-que-Pica”, Ponta DISCUSSION Negra, Ponta da Malbusca, Ponta do Norte and Cré) (Zbyszewsky et al., The CZMP of Santa Maria Island 1961; Zbyszewsky & Ferreira, 1962; (Azores) Estevens & Ávila, 2007; Kirby et al., The CZMP of Santa Maria Island 2007), although there are also evi- is due to be elaborated in about 12 dence of Pleistocene outcrops months and taking into consideration (Prainha, Lagoinhas and possibly the last period due to public partici- “Pedra-que-Pica”) (Zbyszewsky & pation. Thus, the different stages of Ferreira, 1961; García-Talavera, 1990; the plan will be: Callapez & Soares, 2000; Ávila et al., a) Stage I – Characterisation and 2002; Ávila, 2005). For a complete list Diagnosis; of references see Madeira et al. (2007) b) Stage II – Land Management and consult Fig. 4 for the location of Previous Study; the fossiliferous outcrops. c) Stage III – Proposal of a plan; Since the 16th century that these d) Stage IV – Final version of the deposits have been source of interest plan. (e.g., Gaspar Frutuoso (1978) in “As The plan will be developed Saudades da Terra”) when limestone according to the methodology pre- was extracted to be used in construc- sent in Fig. 3. tion. Nevertheless, the industry was not very significant outside the inter- A chance for Fossil Deposits mange- nal market due to the bad quality of ment the stone and because of the difficult Within stage I – Characterisation access to the deposits and it came to and Diagnosis of the CZMP of the an end when limestone from the Santa Maria Island, an item has been mainland became more easily avail- included specially to enable the fulfil- able (Mitchell-Thomé, 1976). ment of a specific goal: “Preservation In the second half of 19th century 168 AÇOREANA 2007, Supl. 5: 162-172

FIGURE 4 – Location of the fossil deposits of Santa Maria Island and environmental areas in which they are included (adapted from DRA/SRAM, 2005). 1) Pedreira do Campo, Figueiral, and Gruta Velha (Marvão) outcrops, are included in the protected area of “Monumento Natural Regional da Pedreira do Campo” (Regional Natural Monument of Pedreira do Campo) and in the “Reserva Natural Regional do Figueiral- Prainha” (Regional Natural Monument of Figueiral-Prainha); 2) Macela, Prainha, and Praia do Calhau (Praia Formosa) deposits, are included in the “Reserva Natural Regional do Figueiral-Prainha” (Regional Natural Reserve of Figueiral-Prainha), and in the “Reserva Natural da Baía da Praia” (Natural Reserve of the Baía da Praia); 3) Ponta da Malbusca (Piedade), “Pedra-que-Pica” (Baixa do Sul), and Ponta do Castelo (Maia) deposits, are included in the areas “Sítio de Interesse Comunitário da Ponta do Castelo” (Spot of Community Interest of Ponta do Castelo); 4) Ponta das Salinas (Figueiras), and Ponta Negra (Baía de São Lourenço), are included in the “Reserva Natural da Baía de São Lourenço” (Natural Reserve of São Lourenço Bay); 5) Ponta do Norte, Baía do Tagarete (Lagoinhas), and Ilhéu das Lagoinhas, are included in the area of “Paisagem Protegida do Barreiro da Faneca e Costa Norte”(Protected Landscape of Barreiro da Faneca and North Coast); 6) Cré deposits, are included in the area of “Reserva Natural da Baía dos Anjos” (Natural Reserve of the Anjos Bay). the first scientific studies began with became almost forgotten from 1980 the arrival of German scholars to the onwards. At the turning of the mil- island (e.g., Brönn, 1860; Reiss, 1862; lennium the Santa Maria fossil Mayer, 1864). Throughout the 20th deposits gained a new importance century, although prolific, the scien- when they restarted to be systemati- tific publishing decreased until it cally studied by one of the authors CALADO ET AL: COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PLAN 169

(Ávila), in 1998. As a consequence of found in many other deposits on his work, three international expedi- Santa Maria (e.g., Ponta da Malbusca tions were organised by him and and Ponta das Salinas). Nevertheless, other members of the “Marine Pedreira do Campo is the only one to Palaeobiogeography Working Group have an easy access, allowing it to be of the University of the Azores (MPB, used for tourism exploration and Department of Biology of the enabling the possibility of didactic- University of the Azores) between pedagogical activities to take place 2002 and 2006. These were charac- there. terised by their scientific nature, as The growing interest of the scien- well as by the fact that the partici- tific community on the fossil deposits pants in the expedition spread their of Santa Maria has shown that these findings of a natural and unique her- are threatened or even at risk when itage urging to be preserved to the certain natural and anthropogenic population, during a series of talks factors are taken into account. Most given in every expedition at the local deposits are located on the coast, yacht club, Clube Naval de Santa exposed to the sea erosion. As for the Maria. As a result, scientific articles effects of Man upon these deposits, it were published (e.g., Cachão et al., can be observed that, even though the 2003; several papers on this volume) exploitation of this non-renewable and the most complete reference col- resource has stopped due to its eco- lection (DBUA-F) about the Fossils of nomic unviability, the tourist sector, Santa Maria Island was done. This fast expanding on the island, together collection is housed at the with the low interest of the local pop- Department of Biology of the ulation, seems to be the major risk University of the Azores (São Miguel factor. From all the deposits, those of Island). Prainha and of Praia do Calhau are The Pedreira do Campo was the elucidating examples of the risks that first site in the Azores to be classified the deposits are exposed to nowa- as a “Regional Natural Monument”. days. Both are located in the bathing This protection zone possesses zone of Praia Formosa, they are diverse geological, biological and his- exposed not only to the sea erosion torical characteristics, with an ancient but also to the increasing pressure exploitation front where a sequence created by tourism since other places of volcanic eruptions and sediment such as Baía dos Anjos, Maia and São deposits can clearly be seen (Cachão Lourenço cannot respond to the et al., 2003). It includes, still, an artifi- growing tourism pressure, even cial cave (an old lime extraction cave), though it is only during the Summer. which makes this reserve into a place The threats come from the possible of the highest importance to under- increase of buildings on the coast, stand not only the natural, but also summer-houses, hotels and a large the social of the Azores archi- number of supporting structures, pelago. These characteristics can be such as parking lots and paths. The 170 AÇOREANA 2007, Supl. 5: 162-172 accessibility, which turns a deposit ble for Coastal Mangement. Thefore into a possible study and leisure the fossil deposits were included on place, without proper control struc- the final phase in two parts: tures can become a risk factor, partic- Land Use Map - the fossil deposits ularly when the good state of preser- of Santa Maria are included in a land vation that the fossils show in many use class defined as “Coastal Buffer”. of the deposits is taken into consider- In those areas only conservation and ation. These become easy targets for protection measures will be allowed. “irresponsible collection”. This risk They will be non aedificandi and even can only be minimised by isolating the buildings and structures already the deposits and making campaigns existing are not allowed to expand. to raise the population’s awareness On the opposite, the structures need- for the fact that a fossil out of its envi- ed to promote and protect nature and ronment is worthless (Beatley, 1991; natural values are incentivated; Comissão Europeia, 1999). Operational and Financial pro- The focus on the potentialities and gram – a specific project for fossil risks of the fossiliferous outcrops of deposits management was included Santa Maria Island is a consequence with the indication of the amounts of a renewed scientific interest which needed and the institution that will is at the very beginning. Besides the promote the project. The project need to continue to study the geolog- includes the existence of a “Fossils ical heritage of Santa Maria, efforts interpretation and museum house”. must be done in order to sensitise the population not only for their protec- The success or not of these pro- tion, but also for the potentialities of posals can only be measured in a few their non-destructive exploration, years, when the CZMP of Santa being them an added value, instead Maria Island be assessed. However of a negative contribution, for the successful it will be, the scientific local economy. research and knowledge need to be improved. This is a task that the CZMP can not achieve, and at ulti- CONCLUSIONS mate sense, the researchers will be the most important agents in the The CZMP of Santa Maria Island overall process of the fossils deposits is now entering the last phase. On conservation and management. this phase a Land Use map is pro- duced and it has bindery power to all private and public agents. 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