“We are here on a mission to verify what has happened with the protected areas, specifically with the Peneda Gerês National Park (PNPG). A decree was completed this morning and will be published later today to support these protected areas,” revealed Maria da Graça Carvalho in Gerês, Terras de Bouro, after visiting regions impacted by the fire that broke out in the municipality of Ponte da Barca, Viana do Castelo district, spreading to neighboring Terras de Bouro, Braga district.
The primary focus of the decree, as stated by the minister, is on re-naturalization, the recovery of all ecosystems, concerning biodiversity, fauna, and flora, as well as water streams.
“This has been our main focus, divided into emergency works, some of which we observed today with the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA). Actions by the ICNF focus on soil retention to prevent erosion, while the APA aims to prevent water contamination by ashes. We will also be restoring the burnt nature,” the minister explained.
Maria da Graça Carvalho noted that compensation for loss of income in agriculture and the business sector is being handled by the ministries led by José Manuel Fernandes for Agriculture and Fisheries and Manuel Castro Almeida for Economy and Territorial Cohesion.
“My responsibility is regarding the national network of protected areas, which is currently my focus. Unfortunately, we had several fires. In this fire, more than five thousand hectares of the Peneda Gerês National Park burned, so our focus is on undertaking emergency works and then recovering the park,” emphasized the minister.
The decree specifies that a program contract will be established for each national protected area affected by significant fires. This will involve the Climate Agency, coordinating the Environmental Fund, ICNF, APA, co-management committees, local mayors, and, when necessary, the Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDR).
“In this program contract, we will list all urgent works, many of which are already underway without waiting for the contract. This was our directive to the APA and ICNF, including urgent tasks like soil retention, preventing water contamination, removing burnt materials, and avoiding landslides,” the minister added.
In a subsequent phase, more structural measures will be implemented, focusing on natural restoration and re-naturalization.
“Wherever possible, we will undertake natural restoration, encouraging natural regeneration, while always aiming to mitigate future risks. Restoration will incorporate buffer zones using fire-resistant trees that retain moisture. These green areas will be part of the restoration we will undertake, with containment zones and mosaics of diverse trees for containment,” explained Maria da Graça Carvalho.
The PNPG was established in 1971, managed by the ICNF, and spans 69,596 hectares across the districts of Braga (Terras de Bouro), Viana do Castelo (Melgaço, Arcos de Valdevez, and Ponte da Barca), and Vila Real (Montalegre).
