“We have scheduled a reforestation action here in the Alvão mountain area and we want people to mobilize,” stated Armando Silva of the group Respiramos Gasolina, founded in 2016, today.
This summer, the municipality was hit by several fires, the largest of which occurred from August 2nd to 13th, leaving a trail of around 6,000 hectares of burned area, of which 1,500 hectares are included in the Alvão Natural Park (PNA).
The fire affected forest and agricultural land, still used for animal grazing, and blackened the mountain that rises next to the city of Vila Real and extends to the municipalities of Mondim de Basto, Ribeira de Pena, and Vila Pouca de Aguiar.
This planned reforestation action will take place on land provided by the Vila Marim Parish Council, which is not part of the PNA.
Armando Silva mentioned a partnership with the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), which is monitoring the entire action to ensure it is done correctly, and will provide the native trees to be planted, such as maritime pines or oaks.
“To ensure that what we do on the 23rd can persist over time,” he emphasized.
After securing the plants and the land, Armando Silva stated that volunteers are needed, so he called for their mobilization for the action, which is also intended as an awareness effort.
“The objective is to try to reverse a bit of the wildfire situation and, fundamentally, show that the mountain is everyone’s. From that date onwards, we should look at the mountain as even more our own to care for and maintain in the best possible way,” he highlighted.
The idea is to alert the community to care for and protect “a heritage that belongs to everyone.”
Participants should bring appropriate clothing and work tools to dig holes in the ground, as well as fencing materials to create “small forests” and protect them from mountain animals.
The group Respiramos Gasolina combines a love for motor sports with solidarity actions, such as collecting donations for Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
