TAGIS – Centro de Conservação das Borboletas de Portugal

TAGIS (Centro de Conservação das Borboletas de Portugal) is a non-profit association in Avis that specialises in butterfly conservation biology and, increasingly, in other insect orders. It was founded in 2004 and was the first specialised research centre of its kind in the Iberian Peninsula. The name comes from *Euchloe tagis*, a butterfly endemic to the western Mediterranean. Its mission is aligned with Portugal's National Strategy for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity. In practice that means scientific research, monitoring of species and habitats, support for the Natura 2000 network, and conservation management actions. TAGIS has held official status as an Environmental NGO since 2005 and as a Private Entity of Public Utility since 2010. A Board of Directors, a Fiscal Council and a General Assembly govern the association, and it works through a small technical team that supports its scientific and outreach programmes. TAGIS coordinates BMS Portugal, the national Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, which is part of the European Butterfly Monitoring Scheme network. It also runs projects such as Rede EBio, Insetos em Ordem, Lagartagis and Borboletas Através do Tempo. Alongside the scientific work, the association is committed to environmental education, public awareness and civic engagement. It publishes books, guides, leaflets and educational games about butterflies and insects. It promotes citizen science by inviting the public and volunteers to take part in butterfly censuses. TAGIS also works with other institutions, including BioDiversity4All and university research groups, to expand knowledge of Portugal's insect biodiversity and support its long-term conservation.