University of Coimbra launches “Portugal Pollinator Guide”

The Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC) will present, next Saturday (October 18), in the Tropical Greenhouse of the Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra, the book “Guide to Pollinators of Portugal”.

The launch, starting at 11:00 am, is open to the entire community.

This publication is one of the results of the PolinizAÇÃO project, financed by the Environmental Fund of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and aims to inspire, raise awareness and involve all citizens in the conservation of pollinators – organisms essential to life.

The book brings together accessible scientific information on 222 national pollinator species and includes photographs, most of which demonstrate the interaction of these organisms with the flowers on which they feed. It also presents detailed diagrams that help recognize the different pollinator groups and identify useful morphological details.

"This guide is born from a huge collective desire of the Dissemination, Outreach, and Environmental Education Working Group of the PolinizAÇÃO project to bring science closer to society and create a tool that allows scientists and non-scientists to learn a little more about these animals. Pollinators are at the center of our daily lives, even when we don't realize it," begins João Loureiro, a researcher at the Center for Functional Ecology (CFE) of the Department of Life Sciences (DCV), co-coordinator of the PolinizAÇÃO project and the publication's editor.

"We want this guide to inspire the discovery and conservation of these organisms, which are fundamental to biodiversity, our food supply, and our very survival," says the expert.

The work was produced in collaboration with more than 25 national researchers and experts in entomology and botany. The launch event will feature some of the authors, who will share their knowledge and experience in an open dialogue with the public, allowing them to ask questions and interact directly. The choice of the JBUC Tropical Greenhouse highlights the deep connection between science, education, and nature.

Carolina Caetano, a member of the CFE/DCV and responsible for the book's editorial coordination, believes that "knowledge is necessary in order to protect. The vast majority of pollinators in Portugal are insects, which continue to face prejudice and are often viewed with fear. We need to look at them with new eyes to put fear aside and protect them."

In this guide, "in addition to various pollinating animals—from bees to birds and other more surprising ones—readers can learn about the phenomenon of pollination and discover ways to help, such as through citizen science. We need to involve society in nature conservation, and this book is another step in that direction," he concludes.