The Azores are an attractive collection of islands off the coast of Portugal. Islands have a lot to offer as they possess aesthetic value, which attracts people to visit. The Azorean Islands are nine and a great place to escape from busy daily schedules. The islands are an admirable location for vacation, as they provide peace and tranquility, which can be a recommendable occasion for any traveler. Furthermore, the islands have been recognized as the world’s most sustainable locations (Kueppers et al., 2019). The islands significantly contribute to Portugal’s history, as most of its architecture and landscape are preserved. Azorean Islands are attractive to visitors, and agricultural practices, such as farming, have resulted in massive milk production in the area, hence creating sustainability for the citizens.
Azorean Islands offer several services that attract people to the place. Even though the archipelago may be hard to locate on a map, it is an eye-catching place for adventure sports and nature lovers. Ecologists have visited the place, considering it to be a sustainability beacon. Additionally, the Azorean people have stood instrumental in preserving the island’s beauty, and most of the land cover has, over time, remained natural (‘LSDM BA Design – Design Lab B – Lesson 2, 2018’). The island utilizes renewable energy sources and has been recognized as a top sustainable tourism destination in the world. Apart from these, the archipelago is also suitable for dairy farming. Milk production in the area caters to 30% of Portugal’s milk production (Kueppers et al., 2019). Some of the famous activities on this island include watersports, diving, whale watching, and geo-tourism.
Due to the fitting climate of the area, pastures predominate the archipelago’s ecosystem, making it suitable for large-scale milk production. The area’s sustainability also promotes the milk production lifespan of the cows and lowers the occurrence of the production/metabolic illnesses such as Mastitis or Acidosis (De Almeida et al., 2020). Forestry and agriculture are the most common practices in the Islands, since they have appropriate weather for economic activities. Milk production in the Azorean islands is important to the Portuguese economy and the entire region (Kueppers et al., 2019). Additionally, most of the milk produced is obtained from small-scale inventories and has intensified over the years (De Almeida et al., 2020). The Portuguese Institute of Statistics (PIS) conducted a study showing that most firms focused on dairy farming and animal production are located on the islands (De Almeida et al., 2020). People can engage in milk production as a way of living, and this helps them generate income. Due to the urban sustainability portrayed in the islands, the extensive milk production is enhanced by the healthy living conditions of livestock. Even though climatic change affects the entire world, the islands have a better chance of sustainability than other places.
There are various natural resources that can be found in the region. The Azores give an energy mix transforming the place due to renewable energy resources. Most of Azores electricity is from renewables, while a little is from geothermal (Abel, 2021). There is a strong sense of mother nature from the Azores whereby Romeiros pilgrimages have appeased a wide array of activities creating an admirable landscape (Abel, 2021). The place is known for its unique volcanic features; where there are 26 volcanoes, where 8 of which are underwater (Kueppers et al., 2019). This resource collection makes the Island attractive and popular in Portugal.
Azorean Islands are found in Portugal and have been a key attraction site for the country. People prefer visiting this place when they want to break from their daily schedules. The Islands’ land has remained natural hence, sustaining its environmental structure. The other sustainability factor is the use of renewable energy in the area. Furthermore, there is massive milk production in the Azores, which has been facilitated by rampant agricultural practices such as livestock keeping. Through the Island, people have benefited from its economic revolution, and there are sustainable measures to keep its reputation at the top globally.
References
Abel, A. (2021). World’s best islands: Why São Miguel in Portugal’s Azores belongs on Your Travel Wish list. Web.
De Almeida, A. M., Alvarenga, P., & Fangueiro, D. (2020). The dairy sector in the Azores Islands: Possibilities and main constraints towards increased added value. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 53(1). Web.
‌Kay, J. (2022). Why the Azores are Europe’s secret islands of adventure – Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet. Web.
Kueppers, U., Pimentel, A., Ellis, B., Forni, F., Neukampf, J., Pacheco, J.,… Queiroz, G. (2019). Biased volcanic hazard assessment due to incomplete Eruption Records on ocean islands: An example of Sete Cidades volcano, Azores. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7(3), 2-8.
LSDM BA Design – Design Lab B – Lesson 2 [Video file]. (2018). Web.
Medeiros, I., Fernandez-Novo, A., Astiz, S., & Simões, J. (2021). Production and health management from grazing to confinement systems of largest dairy bovine farms in the Azores: A farmers’ perspective. Animals, 11(12), 33-94.