It’s been a while since I posted about a Ciência Viva No Verão activity (two summers, according to the blog). Today we participated in an activity focused on biodiversity, a field trip in the woods of the São Martinho de Tibães Monastery near Braga — a new place for me.
Wikipedia entry in English
Website (PT only): http://mosteirodetibaes.org/
Ciência Viva No Verão is a summer-long program of family-friendly science and nature activities around Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira), organized by scientific institutions, associations, and companies with the cooperation of municipalities. This year there are more than 800 activities, and most of them are free. The majority of the 48 that aren’t free are €5 or less, with a handful in the €15-€20 range (which includes boat rides and other cost-bearing pursuits).
Since the activity was outdoors, I saw only a little of the monastery — we’ll have to return another day for a proper visit. The surrounding grounds are extensive, with woodland trails, flora, corn fields, vineyards, fountains, and outbuildings.
One building was semi-exposed, the lower part equipped with microscopes and field materials from Casa de Ciência de Braga. Two guides led the group, and participants were given a booklet of flora and fauna to search for while in the forest. At the end of the circuit, people could get up close and personal with some of the insects through microscopes.
If you live in Portugal, check out the Ciência Viva No Verão full schedule and register for an event close to you.
The rest of the photos can be viewed in the slideshow below or click it to view the album in Flickr:
July 29, 2017
Album: Mosteiro de São Martinho de Tibães