Patrollers Association presents annual results and actions

“APP Patrulheiros“, which gives life to the largest network of environmental volunteers in Portugal, will grow into an international solution, with the creation of an Environmental Financial Fund that could reach six million euros in three years.

[dropcap type=”background”]W[/dropcap]ith the launch of its annual report, Associação Patrulheiros took the opportunity to present an audacious program for the next three years which includes the arrival in all Portuguese municipalities, with the creation of Active Patrolmen.

In the next three years, each of the 308 municipalities will have an agent who will play the role of ambassador between their area of ​​municipal intervention, volunteers and entities in the region.

Each Volunteer with the Active Patrol function will receive a special work kit that includes access to specific training to support environmental prevention and the delivery of a bicycle for patrols, which, in some regions of the country, will be electric. This measure will create a larger area of ​​intervention and minimize environmental attacks, preventing and anticipating them.

2019 was marked by the inauguration of Bosque Madiba, a unique project in the world in memory of Nelson Mandela, with the presence of his grandson and godfather, Ndaba Mandela, founder of Africa Rising Foundation.

With its inauguration scheduled for October 2020, this project, carried out in partnership with the Municipality of Mealhada and the Fundação da Mata Bussaco, will be based in the Parque dos Leões in Mata do Bussaco.

The money raised from the sale of the 99 trees available, which tell the life of the African Leader, will be reinvested in programs to support the forest and schools in the municipality, as well as in some environmental projects in Portugal.

The Patrollers Association also plans to launch the new space and Operational Center of Albergaria a Velha, scheduled for May this year, which will provide support to the municipality’s volunteers and which will be used for the development of environmental training actions, bicycle patrols and support to existing missions, on-site and at the national level.

In addition, the Association will proceed with learning classes on the use of the electric bicycle in all its aspects, for personal and professional use.

In the summer of 2020, the new São Jacinto Operational Center will be launched, dedicated to the coastal zone and protection of the São Jacinto Dunes Nature Reserve, for monitoring the Dunes and supporting visitors from this region with high environmental sensitivity.

Finally, an Environmental Financial Fund will be created to support and support interventions in Portugal and the international expansion of the Patrolheiros Platform. This support could reach six million euros of investment in 2023. Canada, Norway and Iran are part of the markets where partners are already available to advance.

PORTUGAL 2019 OCCURRENCE REPORT
The data for 2019 in Portugal are indicative of the enormous adhesion of the Portuguese to Environmental volunteering: there are already more than 3,500 Patrolmen scattered throughout the country and their intervention helped to save close to € 100,000, in the coffers of the affected municipalities.

For this purpose, the focus of occurrences in the affected areas and the cost of an intervention by an entity specialized in removal and cleaning, by land, sea and lagoon, were evaluated, in case it was not removed in time.

The number of occurrences by district:

• Report 2018: Lisbon (22.6%), Porto (17.1%) and Aveiro (16.4%) in the Top 3, followed by Setúbal (10.9%) and Braga (7%).
• Report 2019: Lisbon (27.01%), Porto (17.33%) and Aveiro (16.53%) in the Top 3, followed by Setúbal (11.29%) and Faro (5.24%).

Occurrences Type

Rubble (35.88%), Waste (scattered / dispersed garbage) (19.35%), Problems / Dangers on public roads (13.30%), Forest Waste (6.45%), Ecopoints filled and / or in poor condition (6.85%), Water pollution / contamination (6.04%), Abandoned means of transport (4.03%), Abandoned or injured animals (3.22%), Asian wasp nests (1, 20%), Problems in the Coastal zone (1.20%), Fire Situation / Risk (0.44%).

Facts:

• In spite of an increase in users of the Patrolmen App in the interior of the country, the coast remains in the lead with the highest number of recorded occurrences.
• Increased response by the municipalities and the number of cases resolved: About 8% of cases were resolved. Most active municipalities: Lisbon, Palmela, Loures, Mafra and Maia. The highlight for Faro, which has significantly increased the number of occurrences sent.
• The number of occurrences sent increased by about 79.5% compared to the previous report
• 2018 Report – 181 occurrences received (161 occurrences + 20 tests);
• Report 2019- 325 occurrences received (248 occurrences + 77 tests).
• The male sex was the most active with 84% of the occurrences sent, followed by women with 12.92% and the remaining 3.07% arrived via Entities/associations.