EcoAtivo was contacted at the beginning of September by the owner of a rural property, facing an urgent need for intervention, and it was on September 20th that we traveled to Vale de Amoreira to assess the property in question, which had been affected by the wildfires that hit the Serra da Estrela region in the summer of 2022. During this first visit, we observed the devastation of the forest that had previously helped retain water in the soil, resulting in strong erosion caused by heavy rainfall.
Based on the characteristics of the terrain, a half-moon swale intervention was recommended — small water-retention structures that support the soil while also aiding the infiltration process.
After this first phase of assessment and planning, on October 9th, in partnership with the Guardians of Serra da Estrela, an intervention action was organized with a total of 43 volunteers from the company Deloitte, who traveled from Lisbon and Porto. Some of the burnt pine trees were first cut down so they could be used in building the stabilization structures. The available biomass served as the working material, and the structures were further reinforced with stones. This method will help mitigate the rainwater erosion that had already begun causing serious damage to the property owner’s land.
Guilherme Weishar, coordinator of EcoAtivo, points out that the specific characteristics of this terrain require more in-depth, specialized attention due to the presence of ravines that put access routes and infrastructure at risk. Addressing this will involve building check dams and other water-retention structures along the slope, as well as constructing more half-moon swales. It is recommended that this issue be resolved as soon as possible to minimize damage.
