Conservation & history in Portugal

Alvão Natural Park was created in 1983 and protected under the Portuguese Nature Conservation Institute. It is one of several natural parks in the region that work on the conservation of natural and semi-natural areas directly in conjunction with supporting the local sustainable development. The park aims to maintain ecological processes, preserve genetic diversity and protect species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Promoting the conservation of natural heritage and ecological balance, the conservation of traditional cultural values, improved welfare for the resident population as regards environmental quality, economic improvement and improved living conditions, environmental education, scientific research and eco-tourism. There is a good long standing relationship between us and Alvão - in fact the park's Director Henrique Pereira has been on a our Natural Break in Gloucestershire!

Where we're working: Alvão Natural Park (7220 hectares) is in the Alvão Mountain in the north of Portugal, in the province of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, in the Vila Real district. This is a transitional zone between humid coastal region and increasingly drier interior. The high area creates an extensive granite basin, source of the important Olo River, between 500-1330m. The lower zone is a schist area with sloped valleys. Between there is a quartzite barrier, its hardness the reason for the abrupt height changes and the spectacular waterfalls of Fisgas do Ermelo. The mountain landscape, vegetation flora and fauna are very rich and diverse. Natural vegetation is Atlantic-Submediterranean woods mostly oak trees, but also some groves of birch and cork with chestnuts, holly, hazel, wild pear, bilberry, strawberry-tree and more. Heathers, brooms and gorses are the common shrubs. You can find some scientifically important, rare or threatened fauna: Iberian-salamander, Pyrenean-desman, several species of bats and birds, important insects like the alcon blue Maculinea alcon butterflies; and flora: Drosera rotundifolia, Narcissus asturiensis, Gentiana pneumonnthe. We'll be involved in a range of habitat management activities, such as scrub clearance - particularly removal of the dreaded 'Haquea' - an invasive plant species taking over natural areas. In addition we'll continue work started last year to stabilise steep slopes prone to erosion by creating terraces and seeding. There may also be basic construction work on traditional dry-stone walls, information points for visitors, access, boundaries and signposts. The final plan will depend on how the winter has gone and the priorities it brings.

Where we'll be staying: We'll be staying at a former forest guard house, now used as an Ecological School near the village of Arnal, 1000m above sea level and away from everything, except goats, cows, the odd dog or two and the occasional local. It has bedrooms, bathrooms with showers, kitchen, dining/living room and a meeting room. It's near the top of the mountain and has a long view to the valley and to the town of Vila Real. There's a nearby waterfall perfect for that end of the day refreshing dip, and even a local bar in the next village about 30min walk away.

What else is there: By way of orientation, we'll have an extensive guided tour of the natural park with villages, waterfall, mountains, prairies, goat herds and oak forests. We'll also take a day out to explore the Port Wine region of the Douro Valley (port caves, vineyards and unique landscape) taking the opportunity to sample its finest and visit the historic town of Vila Real. If it's big nightlife you want - this is the wrong holiday for you (although the trek to the bar of an evening can be quite an adventure!) But for the remote life, walking, splashing in waterfalls, watching the stars as the sun sets and curling up with a good book by the woodstove, it's perfect.