human pressure, but there are certainly problems linked to biological invasions.

The Laurisilva is found primarily at an altitude between 900 and 4,200 feet and protects a wide variety of rare flora and fauna including the rare Priolo bullfinch. The Laurisilva Forest laurel tree is conical tree that can grow as high as 60 ft. tall. Today, the Laurus azorica is only found in the archipelago of the Azores.

Since the Azores is a natural stopover place between North America and Europe for migrating birds, the Islands have been enriched by some of these feathered creatures. Many nests in or near the marshes, lake shores and waterways of the islands. The Priolo (Pyrrhula murina), also known as the Azores Bullfinch is a bird long thought to be extinct, but it has been found in a habitat of São Miguel Island in the Azoresl.

they infest and obtain water adsorbed onto wood fibers and by metabolic processes. 

The detection in 2002 of drywood termites in the islands of Azores has became an urgent issue to be

coped with given the fast degradation that structural elements can show after a short period of installation of the colony.

A recent study indicates drywood termite presence in over 43% of the buildings of Angra do Heroismo city (Terceira Island), and timber structures surveys conducted so far points to strong levels of degradation of timber elements and structures. The impact of this infestation is even stronger while affecting a historical city as Angra do Heroísmo (inscribed on the World Heritage List).

A strong effort should be put on the rehabilitation of structures already affected, implementation of

control procedures for restraining the spread of new colonies into so far sound buildings and alteration of traditional practices (namely choice of wood species and protection treatments) regarding timber utilization in construction.

The control methodologies used for Hedychium gardnerianum include:

Physical control - Hand pulling: preferential methodology for small invaded areas. In more compacted substrates, hand pulling must be made during the rainy as to facilitate the removal of the root system. As much as possible, it should be guaranteed that there are no rhizomes and/or large rhizome fragments left in the ground because they regenerate very vigorously, diminishing the efficacy of this methodology.

Physical + chemical control - Cut stump method: methodology applicable to large invaded areas. The stems should be cut as close to the ground as possible and applied herbicide (active substance: metsulfuron-methyl) to the cut surface. Some authors refer that the sprouts are more sensitive to herbicide so, alternatively, the application of herbicide may be done when the sprouts achieve 50 to 60 cm high.

Chemical control - Foliar application of herbicide: methodology applicable to seedlings and young plants, up to 50 cm high. Spray with herbicide (active principle: metsulfuron-methyl) limiting the exposure to the target species. It should be made on the time of the plants’ greater growth.
 

Biological control - The bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum (E. F. Smith) was tested in Hawaii, as a biological control agent of Hedychium gardnerianumbut, its use is not yet authorized.

This agent has not yet been tested in Portugal as to verify its safety relatively to  native species,  so its use has not yet constituted an alternative in our country.