The co-management plan for the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG) foresees an investment of 72 million euros, over five years, in the enhancement of that territory, of which 1.5 million euros are currently underway, it was announced today.
Speaking to the Lusa news agency, the president of the PNPG co-management commission, João Manuel Esteves, explained that the plan includes “a wide range of projects and actions, with an estimated investment of 72 million euros”.
“The co-management committee is trying to identify various sources of funding through the regional funds managed by the Northern Regional Development Coordination Commission (CCDRN), the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (PEPAC), under the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Environmental Fund, which is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Action,” he explained.
João Manuel Esteves, who is also the mayor of Arcos de Valdevez, was speaking about a note sent to the press today by the municipality in the district of Viana do Castelo, noting a meeting held last week at the CCDRN to “get an idea of what the possible funding might be, within the scope of the Portugal 2030 funds”.
The social-democratic mayor said that similar contacts have been made and will continue with the Ministry of Agriculture, “to see possible sources of funding for PEPAC, since the PNPG has a very strong component related to agriculture, local products, livestock, forestry”.
Next week, the PNPG co-management committee is scheduled to meet again at the Ministry of the Environment.
“The aim is to find a diversified set of financial instruments that will enable us to implement the projects and actions set out in the co-management plan, based on promoting the territory, socio-economic development and environmental enhancement. Man, nature and the promotion of the territory,” he said.
According to João Manuel Esteves, the co-management plan, to be implemented by 2027, was approved in 2022 by the PNPG’s co-management commission and strategic council, and in 2023 by the Ministry of the Environment.
Over the past year, the PNPG co-management committee “has seen the approval of applications worth 1.5 million euros, whose actions, related to improving conditions for visitors, socio-economic development, tourism and the enhancement of local products, are currently being implemented.”
The PNPG covers an area of 69,693 hectares and includes the municipalities of Melgaço, Arcos de Valdevez and Ponte da Barca, in the district of Viana do Castelo, Terras de Bouro, in the district of Braga, and Montalegre, in the district of Vila Real.
“The PNPG is the only National Park in the country and its enhancement should be a national goal. The PNPG is in this region but it is an asset of Portugal. It must be given more attention and resources so that this jewel in the crown of protected areas in Portugal can continue to be identified as such, not only nationally but also internationally,” he said.
According to a note from the Arcos de Valdevez City Council, the president of the CCDRN, António Cunha, “was very receptive to the PNPG co-management plan and reiterated the importance of creating specific funding instruments to support this plan”.
