A protest march aims to “immediately halt the severe environmental damage being caused by the construction, licensed by the Loulé City Council, in the Foz do Almargem natural park, near Trafal beach,” states one of the organizers in a press release.
The document, signed by João Eduardo Martins, a university professor, mentions that the construction is taking place “just a few meters from the beach sand and involves the indiscriminate logging of trees,” compounding the problem since it is “on an eroding cliff suffering from the effects of rising sea levels,” he argues.
The construction project in question includes a restaurant, beach support facilities, and a parking lot. This project was licensed by the Loulé City Council prior to August 2024, when the municipality sought and obtained the designation of Foz do Almargem and Trafal as a local natural reserve.
In March, the municipality assured in a statement sent to Lusa that the works comply with current urban planning laws and that measures have been taken to “minimize” the impact of the works, which affect only 1% of the protected area.
The civic group opposing the project launched a petition last month demanding the “immediate suspension of the works,” having collected a total of 3,202 signatures by 4:00 PM today.
“The protected area is of great ecological and scenic importance, including sensitive ecosystems, habitats of various protected species, and plays a crucial role in water regulation and biodiversity conservation,” the petition states.
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