Vision

The Idanha-à-Vida Project includes both an Ecological Restoration Program and a Social Program. The Project planning focuses on three aspects over time, reciprocity – to fix past losses, restoration – to restore natural ecological systems (ecosystems), and regeneration – to build social and ecological resilience. Therefore, the strategy for the Project is built around a Social-Ecological framework, where the dream, converted into a will, becomes the vision leading practice over 25-years that started in 2021.

‘We understand ourselves as guardians of the land, so that we can hand it over to future generations in a better state.’

For us, this means tackling the socio-ecological challenges of our times on the land we have been entrusted with, within the region we are located. On a scale almost unparalleled in Portugal, we have initiated a restorative Project that aims to remedy the damage done to the land over nearly a century of abuse through industrial farming, but also to counter as much as within our powers the devastating socio-economic and demographic developments within the local population over at least five decades. We understand ourselves as guardians of the land, consciously and actively contributing to its recovery, so that we can hand it over to future generations in a better state.

As the Project matures, we will continually strive to become ever more transparent and participative for our partners and stakeholders, especially the people of the village of Idanha-a-Velha, in order to make sure that we can truly take their best interest to heart. We believe that involving local people is essential so that we can flourish together.