By Ana Paula Cruz Garcia, Deputy Director General of DGAV
Plants sustain life as we know it. They produce oxygen, regulate climate, contribute to environmental resilience, and form the basis of entire ecosystems. Despite this undeniable importance, their protection is still too often absent from public debate, even at a time when climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation occupy a central place in global concerns.
As awareness around environmental challenges grows, so does the pressure on plant health. Climate change, the intensification of international trade, and the increasing mobility of people and goods have been facilitating the spread of pests and plant diseases to new regions, risking plant species, natural habitats, and the balance of ecosystems.
Invasive pests and plant diseases are expanding into new regions, often lacking natural factors that limit their spread. This phenomenon has impacts not only on agriculture, but also on natural ecosystems, affecting native plant species and compromising entire habitats. In Portugal and Europe, examples such as fire blight or Xylella fastidiosa illustrate well the scale of the problem and the environmental, economic and social consequences associated.
The importance of plants goes far beyond their productive function. They help regulate natural cycles, contribute to water retention in soils, and provide food and shelter to numerous species. When a plant species disappears or is seriously affected by a pest or disease, the impacts can propagate far beyond the species in question, affecting the functioning of entire ecosystems, reducing their capacity to adapt to new environmental pressures, and profoundly altering natural landscapes.
Therefore, plant protection must be viewed as a collective and strategic priority. It is not only about safeguarding agricultural or forest crops, but about preserving natural systems on which all forms of life, including humans, depend. The European campaign #PlantHealth4Life arises precisely as a call to action, promoting greater literacy about plant health and encouraging responsible behaviours that help prevent the introduction and spread of organisms harmful to plants.
Responsibility is shared among policymakers, sector professionals, scientists and citizens. Small gestures, such as avoiding transporting plants between regions without phytosanitary control or reporting signs of diseases in plant species, can make a difference. Public awareness is a fundamental pillar to curb the spread of threats and protect the natural heritage.
Protecting plants is, ultimately, protecting the balance of ecosystems and ensuring a sustainable future. Ignoring this challenge is to compromise not only biodiversity but also our own quality of life. Recognizing the value of plants is recognizing the fundamental role they play in preserving the natural systems on which we all depend. Protecting their health is, therefore, protecting the future.
