Why choose SPEA Madeira ?

It’s been a month since I arrived. Before applying for an internship at SPEA Madeira, I wanted to understand who they are, what they do, and the impact they have at both a national and international level. Here is a quick summary of my findings and my experience so far!

Who is SPEA? The Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves is a Portuguese non-governmental environmental organization (NGO). Founded on November 25, 1993, it began with a focus on birdwatching and ornithology before evolving into a major player in conservation.

Since 1999, SPEA has been the official Portuguese partner of BirdLife International, a global network of environmental organizations present in over 100 countries. Recognized as a Public Utility entity since 2012 and a Development NGO since 2021, SPEA is also a member of the C7 Coalition, which brings together Portugal’s seven largest environmental organizations to advocate for sustainable policies. Their expertise is world-renowned, as shown by awards like the 2022 Natura 2000 European Award for Marine Conservation.

While the headquarters are in Lisbon, SPEA has key delegations in the Azores and Madeira. The Madeira office have a small team coordinated by Cátia Gouveia, including Elisa, Tiago, and Manuel (experts in terrestrial and marine conservation), Catarina (a specialist in environmental education and communication), and Fernando (a technician in Geographic Information Systems).

The expertise here is vast, and the team works on several major but complementary fronts to protect island ecosystems:

• Restoring Habitats & Fighting Predators: With the new BESTLIFE2030 STOP Predators (2025-2027) project, evaluate the impact of invasive species (like cats, rats, and ferrets) and invasive plants on Cory’s Shearwater colonies. The goal is to create safe zones for these sensitive birds. This echoes the LIFE Pterodromas4future (2021-2026) project, dedicated to saving two endemic petrels which also face threats from habitat loss and climate change.

• Light Pollution: Through the LIFE Natura@night (2021-2025) project, they map light pollution in Natura 2000 areas to reduce its impact on nocturnal birds, bats, and moths. This effort comes to life every year with the Salve uma Ave Marinha campaign. Since 2009, volunteers have patrolled the island to rescue seabirds dazzled by artificial lights.

• The CircularOcean (2024-2028) project turns the challenge of marine litter into an opportunity. They work to sensitize the fishing and tourism sectors, as well as schools, by integrating waste management into a circular economy approach.

• Initiatives like LIFE4BEST Puffinus allow them to study the Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus), a vulnerable species nesting in remote cliffs by using new monitoring methodologies.

In short, being part of the SPEA Madeira team means being at the crossroads of scientific research, field conservation, and community engagement. Every project I am part of (managing invasive species and fighting light pollution) contributes to a larger goal: making Madeira a safer sanctuary for the unique biodiversity it holds.