A summer wildfire devastated the Integral Bio-Reserve of Vale da Aveleira — a 75-hectare ancient forest in the Serra da Lousã, home to centuries-old native trees and rare habitats of exceptional importance.
The fire left a landscape of ash. But the greatest threat we now face is not what burned — it is what grows next. Acacia seeds, an invasive species, are germinating en masse in the burnt areas, taking advantage of the absence of native vegetation to colonise the scorched soil. Decades of invasive plant proliferation have created seed banks throughout the mountainous terrain, making intervention urgent.
What we plan to do (2026–2028)
- Continuous monitoring of invasive species in difficult-access valleys
- Development of a control and eradication strategy for acacias and hakeas
- Deployment of human resources for removal campaigns across the reserve
- Monitoring of natural regeneration of native forest
- Reforestation with native species where needed
How to support
The campaign aims to raise €25,000 to fund restoration operations during the critical first years after the fire.
- Bank transfer: PT50-0033-0000-45568966521-05
- MBWay: 914 311 592
- Email: geral@milvoz.pt
Every contribution matters. Nature has the capacity to regenerate — but it needs us at this crucial moment.
