The Madeira Forest Police Corps (CPF) now counts 36 new members, bringing the total number of officers to 100, distributed across 25 forest posts in seven zones of the archipelago.
“We are equipping Madeira with more resources, greater intervention capacity and greater protection capacity,” said the regional secretary for Tourism, Environment and Culture, Eduardo Jesus, emphasising that two-thirds of the region’s territory, namely on the island of Madeira, has reserve or protected area status.
The official spoke in Funchal, during the ceremony welcoming the new elements of the Forest Police Corps, an agency integrated into the Institute for Forests and Nature Conservation, under the aegis of the Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Culture.
“It is a highly respected institution, well regarded by the general public and that commands a great deal of respect from all those who roam the hills,” said Eduardo Jesus.
The Forest Police Corps was created in Madeira in 1913 and, unlike the National Forest Guard Corps, which was dissolved in 2006, has remained operational in the archipelago, with action mainly at the level of enforcement and prevention of wildfires.
According to official data, between January and August, the CPF issued 281 fines for infractions recorded in Madeira’s hills, including failure to pay the trail access fee, travel on closed trails and illegal dumping of waste.
The personnel of the Forest Police Corps are distributed across 25 forest posts: 23 on the island of Madeira and two on Porto Santo.
Among the 36 new members – the largest reinforcement ever – there is only one woman.
The CPF will also integrate four more members this year, as part of mobility processes, bringing the total to 104 personnel.
The new members represent an annual budgetary expenditure of 955 thousand euros.
