On the 10th and 11th of March, Rewilding Portugal brought together the partners of its nature-based and sustainable tourism network, Wild Côa Network, in a “fun trip” that served to create more bonds between the partners, allowing them to develop partnerships and concerted tourist offers. A network that operates in the Greater Côa Valley, on the wildest side of Portugal.
Rewilding Portugal’s surveillance team travels thousands of kilometres to protect nature. The team’s mission is to detect and report environmental crimes such as snares or wildlife poisonings. They are also part of the national effort to detect rural wildfires.
Last Saturday was marked by the award ceremony for the first edition of the nature photography contest Rewilding Photo Contest, a contest by Rewilding Portugal held in partnership with Comunidade Cultura e Arte. Practically all the winners and honorable mentions were present, on a day that was also used to make known Vale Carapito, the first rewilding area in the region.
The juvenile cinereous vulture, Caravela, without GPS signal for two weeks, surprised our entire team. Its impressive journey would take it over 3000 km, between its nest and Senegal. Learn more about its story and how it managed to reach its destination.
Quinta de Santa Margarida, which for many years served as a source of ore and employment in the “Raia” region between the municipalities of Sabugal and Almeida, was recently acquired by Rewilding Portugal, which now intends to transform the space into a reserve for wildlife. This article exposes Rewilding Portugal’s vision for the place, with a view to promoting the rich natural heritage of this region.
Hati, one of the dogs integrated by the LIFE WolFlux project to support livestock producers in the region and promote good coexistence practices between local communities and the Iberian wolf, lived an emotional story in September, in which he showed that he was made for these functions .
At the beginning of November, Rewilding Portugal confirmed the existence of a colony of cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), which confirmed reproductive success in several pairs in the Malcata Reserve. This is excellent news for a species that is still critically endangered in Portugal and of which only about 40 couples are known, distributed in two main colonies in the Tejo International Natural Park and in Alentejo.
The LIFE WolFlux project, in an action coordinated by Rewilding Portugal and Rewilding Europe, developed, this November, the first training of nature guides, with the objective of betting on local entrepreneurship in the Greater Côa Valley and promote the operationalization of this activity in a more sustainable way and that respects and values the surrounding natural heritage.
Quinta de Santa Margarida, between Sabugal and Almeida, is on its way to becoming a new wildlife reserve. While the initial fauna and flora monitoring actions are taking place, as well as the first preparatory actions in the space, the Symington Family Estates team joined Rewilding Portugal in an intensive action to clean the property, removing large volumes of garbage and residues.
Rewilding Portugal inaugurated, on October 30th, its Rewilding Center in Vale de Madeira, in the municipality of Pinhel. A space dedicated to nature conservation and direct contact with the local community. This new center is critical for the organization to embark on a new approach to conservation that aims to involve those around it.