Topic 2: Towards diverse, sustainable and circular food processing systems
We are a NGO dedicated to study and monitoring insects, with a sound knowledge and capacity in pollinator identification, dissemination content production and education activities. Pollinators are key for diverse and sustainable food production and we may collaborate in monitoring and identifying pollinators as well as in outreach products like field guides or education activities
Tagis – Butterfly Conservation Center is a Portuguese Environmental Non-Governmental Organisation (ENGO) of Public Utility, dedicated, since 2004, to scientific research, knowledge dissemination, and the conservation of butterflies and other insects and their natural habitats . Tagis is a member of Butterfly Conservation Europe and was involved in the development of the Red List of Mediterranean region butterflies, the creation of a grassland bioindicator, and the implementation of a European-wide volunteer-based butterfly monitoring system.
Tagis has extensive experience in the identification and monitoring of insect pollinators in Portugal (e.g. Butterflies, Bees, Hoverflies, Flower Beetles), being the national coordinator for the European Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (BMS) in Portugal, and participating in the pilot study for an European Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (Project SPRING). It is also a pioneer on promoting citizen science as both the coordinator of the Biodiversity Station Network and the Portuguese BMS, and a partner and validator for insects, of the project Biodiversity4all, the major citizen science project related to biodiversity in Portugal. The association employs a small team of professionals dedicated full time to field work, monitoring and laboratory identification of insects, and responsible for the outreach, dissemination, education and citizen science activities, ensuring in-depth knowledge of the matter while carefully adapting the contents to the needs of different public. The target groups addressed varied and include the general public, teachers and students from all grades (from preschools to universities), municipalities and the private sector.
