An open group entitled ‘Friends of the Salgados Lagoon’ has organised a protest to take place on October 20 against the construction of a 247-hectare touristic development on the grounds surrounding Lagoa dos Salgados in Pêra.
This unique, unspoilt coastal area is a well known bird sanctuary and natural lagoon which is now threatened by an approved project that includes the development of three hotels, five holiday villages, shopping complexes and an 18-hole golf course.
In a desperate bid to hinder the inevitable environmental destruction and raise further awareness of what is at stake, all environmentalists, residents, tourism entities, organisations and individuals supporting the cause are invited to attend the protest.
The action will take place in the car park of Praia Grande, by the Duna Café on the western edge of the lagoon, from 3pm until 6pm.
The building work of the €232 million new urbanity, being developed by the Galilei Group and its Algarve subsidiary Finalgarve, with the backing of the Silves Mayor, is expected to begin early in 2013.
Concerned environmentalist groups backing the protest, such as Almargem, LPN, Quercus, SPEA and A Rocha, believe that many of the bird species at the site will be uprooted from their natural habitats, badly injured or even killed during the construction process.
An online petition against the development is available.
