Eco Action in Gerês

Take action and join us in our daily struggle to preserve of the Peneda-Gerês National Park. Eco action in Gerês include peeling acacia trees, planting native trees, picking up litter and rebuilding old cairns, there is a lot to do in every season.  

The park forest is quite small compared to its potential because it has been fustigated by wildfires throughout the ages, and it has been continually used as grazing area since, at least, Celtic times. 

During the proper season, plant native forest, with plants from certified nurseries to prevent the introduction of diseases. Plant Pyrenean, common and cork oaks, birch, wild cherries, hawthorns, pines, hollies, strawberry trees and others in the most suitable locations on amazing diverse landscapes.

Combat acacia trees, witch are a huge problem in this National Park. Acacia dealbata and melanoxylon are invasive species that spread rapidly and create thick dense woods that are both a huge fire hazard and an ecological problem as they block the sun light preventing the native species to thrive.  In addition, these woods are depleted of any other life but these trees, with the exception of only one kind of ant that consumes and spreads their seeds.  To complicate things even more, like a Hydra, if you cut one tree down, seven more will grow from the same root, which means that the best available solution is to peel the trunk and disrupt the sap flow. 

Join us on picking up litter from the areas subjected to the most touristic pressure and give it a proper destination (like recycling). This is an essential task at the end of Summer to ensure a plastic–free environment.

Contribute to a better, cleaner and diverse territory while enjoying it and learning about its history, geology, fauna and flora.

See also