Portugal 2005

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#999933" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040006e0ddwnfv.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sage - Oxford's Christian Environmental Group</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>     |    </B></FONT><B> </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sage Oxfords Christian Environmental Gr"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Portugal 2005</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" background="041bec00esnpes.png"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="35d9d9f0.jpg" border=0 width="157" height="159" ALT="Black-winged stilt" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"></B></div> <div> <B>See also an article by Sue Robbins on the </B><A HREF="wadercount.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wader Count: Alvor Marshes"><U><B>Wader Count: Alvor Marshes</B></U></A><B> </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Portugal 2005</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="29e2cb40.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="180" ALT="Cruzinha (by Lisa in 1993)" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10">Over Easter this year, 8 `Sages' spent a holiday over 2 weeks at Cruzinha, the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.arocha.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.arocha.org"><U>A Rocha</U></A></FONT> field study centre on the southern, Algarve, coast of Portugal. It was for some a lovely return visit after 12 years, for others a wonderful first taste of life and work for the community there, and for one a first trip having been a faithful home supporter since A Rocha's beginnings over 20 years ago. </div> <bR> <div> A Rocha are Christians in Conservation. Their first project was set up at Cruzinha in 1986 and they now have projects in 15 countries across the world. Each is individual in its emphasis and culture, but <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://en.arocha.org/portugal/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://en.arocha.org/portugal/"><U>A Rocha Portugal</U></A></FONT> has become a model of the underlying principles that weave throughout, which, during our brief time there, we could clearly see being lived out.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="35f2c910.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="145" ALT="Bee-eaters" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5">The <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>conservation</B></I></FONT> work focuses on <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://en.arocha.org/ptresearch/index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://en.arocha.org/ptresearch/index.ht"><U>projects</U></A></FONT> to monitor the habitats and wildlife of the area, building up solid databases of knowledge with which to inform the international environmental community about the need to protect this special part of Portugal. The centre is on land between two arms of the Alvor estuary and there is a great diversity of flora and fauna here due to the wetlands, a countryside of traditional small-scale farming, and being on the migration route for many birds flying north or south to a different climate. On one gentle 2 hour walk around the area we counted at least 27 different wildflowers in bloom, and found orchids, wild iris and the endemic <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://en.arocha.org/ptresearch/index6.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://en.arocha.org/ptresearch/index6.h"><U>camphor thyme</U></A></FONT> and Algarve <IMG SRC="3692ce10.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="225" ALT="Monchique fire damage and regeneration" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10">toadflax. There was also great excitement when the cry went up that the first beautiful bee-eaters had arrived. It was a privilege to help out with the fortnightly <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="wadercount.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wader Count: Alvor Marshes"><U>wader count</U></A></FONT> along the estuary and to watch the skilled handling of the birds caught for ringing/recording when the nets were raised in the garden each week (there were 17 the first week over about 5 hours - a mixture of goldfinches, house sparrow, black cap, hoopoe, serin, a particularly lively bluetit and others!). We also saw how the team is mapping the local habitats using global satellite plotting systems, and monitoring the flora regrowth in areas of the Monchique hills just to the north, following damage from increasing number of forest fires. The Alvor Estuary has constant threat from development due to a mixture of abandonment of the small farms as a sustainable way of life, plus the tourism traffic attracted to this coastline. A Rocha's work has been influential in gaining European recognition, and in seeking increasing protection status for this beautiful area.</div> <bR> <div> `The earth is the Lord's and everything in it' says Psalm 24. The <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>Christian</B></I></FONT> basis of A Rocha's reason for being was clear in the team's heart for stewarding a holy creation, and in living responsibly and worshipfully. As well as the <IMG SRC="3612ce10.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="225" ALT="Passover meal at Cruzinha" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10">science projects, the centre is careful to tread gently in the way they live, trying to use resources wisely; enjoying  (very!) good home-cooked, local and seasonal food; recycling, composting and chicken-feeding what waste they can. Not being on mains services means collecting spring water every couple of weeks for drinking/cooking (definitely an awareness tool for how much one uses!) and a reed-bed for sewage (which leads to certain amount of discussion about what bore of pipe is required for what kind waste.......!). Warm hospitality welcomes all through their doors whether day visitor or volunteer-scientist, of whatever background or creed. Christian witness is as much about our relationship with God being seen lived out in the everyday as about formal worship. We did share some good worship together - Margot Hodson led us in a lovely <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.hodsons.org/Afeastofseasons/id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hodsons.org/Afeastofseasons/i"><U>Passover</U></A></FONT> service and meal which was a natural preparation for the annual Easter dawn worship on the hilltop above the estuary with prayers, meditation and song as the sun came up. There were also Sunday services at local churches, and the regular weekly community prayer time and bible study, including an invitation for a Portuguese `<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="walks.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Walk with the Creator"><U>Walk with the Creator</U></A></FONT>' through the Cruzinha grounds by Caroline Steel and myself.</div> <bR> <div> Other common denominators for the A Rocha centres are that they are <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>community</B></I></FONT><B>-</B> focused and very much <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>cross-cultural</B></I></FONT> in life and work. Living together in community means sharing space, resources, skills and knowledge; eating together, problem-solving together and getting on through all the colours of family life. Added to this is the blend of cultural backgrounds and languages - at Cruzinha currently a mix of British and Portuguese with both languages being used almost equally, but this changes with changing volunteers and visitors. The team has also been investing in  relationships over the 20 years+ with those in the community around - officials on councils and committees, plus those in the local neighbourhood and nearby village, which is all crucial in fostering an understanding of what they do and why.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="363966c0.jpg" border=0 width="150" height="364" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10"></B></I><I><B>Co-operation</B></I><I> </I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >through education and training is also a large part of A Rocha's commitment. There are links with Portuguese universities, investment in the volunteers involved in the science projects, and training up of bird-ringers of which there is a huge shortage compared for example to the UK. School visits are organised for a morning or day often several days/week and there is the weekly visitors' day for anyone who would like to drop by to see what goes on, watch the bird-ringing, browse in the education room and chat over coffee and delicious home-made cake. While we were there a young boy had returned after a previous school trip, having enjoyed it so much that he came back bringing friends and family! These days seem particularly important for bringing together people with very different reasons for coming to the area - many birders, holiday-makers and ex-pats - and a chance to share A Rocha's reason for being and the desire to be able to continue to enjoy such a precious and beautiful part of creation. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Clare Newgass</B></I></div> <bR> <div> For more information about A Rocha, see the web-site <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.arocha.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.arocha.org"><U>www.arocha.org</U></A></FONT>  or contact at: A Rocha UK 13 Avenue Rd, Southall, Middx UB1 3BL Tel: 0208 574 5935</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>