Our impact on the ground
A year of work in the Greater Côa Valley can be measured in many ways. In hectares given back to wildlife, in species returning, in people who stay and thrive, and in miles of conversations about what is possible for the interior of Portugal. We have gathered here the numbers for 2025, the most honest picture we have of what this territory is capable of when we give it the right conditions.
Our work is organised around four fronts that move together: bringing nature back, creating an economy that grows from it, taking this story further, and helping communities live side by side with wildlife.
Bringing nature back
Today, 2,442 hectares are under the management of Rewilding Portugal, and it is on them that almost everything happens. We restored 101 hectares of native forest, converted 453 hectares into refuge areas free from hunting, and built 53 ponds that bring water and life to countless species.
The landscape is once again being shaped by those who always shaped it. Across 678 hectares of natural grazing live 32 Tauros and 40 Sorraia horses in a semi-wild state, grazers that keep the scrub low and reduce the risk of fire.
In our areas, 223 vertebrate species, 376 plant species, 110 fungi species and 680 invertebrates are recorded. In the Malcata, we confirmed 15 cinereous vulture nests, one of Europe’s most threatened birds, and fitted 18 scavenging birdswith GPS transmitters to follow their movements.
An economy that grows from nature
Bringing nature back also means creating a future for those who live here. The Wild Côa Network today brings together 64 members, and in 2025 it welcomed more than 83,000 visitors. The products and experiences of these local businesses generated 116,075 euros in revenue from clients referred by Rewilding Portugal.
7,672 endogenous products and 55 tourism experiences were sold, and the Rewilding Centre and the Brigadeiro’s House added up to 3,487 overnight stays, with a rating of 9.1 on Booking. We opened 3 rewilding areas to visitors, trained 69 people in visitation, and took the territory to 13 national and international fairs. (Read more about the Wild Côa Network)
Taking this story further
Rewilding’s work only truly exists if it is seen and shared. In 2025, we premiered the first documentary about our project to be broadcast on national television, and brought it to more than 3,000 people at in-person screenings.
We made the news with a reach of 32 million reads across the media, gathered more than 150,000 followers on social media, and brought together 1,543 participants in our nature photography contests. And we are today supported by 256 patrons on Patreon.
Living with wildlife
Coexistence between people and nature is built through close, on-the-ground work. We integrated 109 livestock guarding dogs and installed 54 fences to protect the communities’ flocks, measures that allow farming and wildlife to share the same territory.
We detected and removed 61 illegal hunting traps and provided 27 responses to fires, alongside those who protect this landscape every day.
These numbers have a face, and one of them could be yours
None of this is done alone. Every hectare restored, every species that returns and every business that flourishes is only possible thanks to those who believe in this path and sustain it.
Join the 256 patrons who already support this work on our Patreon. With a monthly contribution, you help bring the wildest side back to Portugal, and become part of these numbers.
Data for 2025, presented by Rewilding Portugal.