We have been in the Soito do Futuro!

From 1 to 4 May, Milvoz headed to Serra da Estrela to meet our friends from Veredas da Estrela, who were organising the initiative “De Monte a Monte”. We participated in several days of workshops, experiences and community action, and it was an honour for us to share this experience with the Brigadas Deseucaliptizadoras from Galicia. This Galician group, with hundreds of members, is dedicated to organising collective activities to remove eucalyptus and other invasive species, such as acacias, in their territory. Their knowledge of the subject, combined with that of the specialist Elizabete Marchante, enabled best practices to be applied directly on the ground, more specifically on two mimosa clusters in Soito do Futuro, a Veredas' conservation area.

In addition, we conducted a Bioblitz in the Soito area, dividing the participants into several groups, which were distributed among the different habitats in the area, from the stream at the bottom of the valley to the more exposed areas at the top of the slope. It was thus possible not only to see the high biological richness of the site, but also to perceive how the conditions of each area strongly influence the species that settle there.

We also took Faixas Vivas with us! We were able to introduce this movement to the various participants, explaining the concept and the context in which the initiative arose, as well as the problems it aims to address. We were also able to give a practical example of the application of the Faixas Vivas concept directly on the ground, with the aim of obtaining shading strips in the future, promoting the growth of deciduous trees and the selective clearing of the understory. Trying to make habitat preservation compatible with management actions aimed at reducing the danger of a possible fire, we analysed the intervention area with the participants in a collective reflection, weighing up different aspects and criteria.