The Vale do Lourêdo Project is an initiative dedicated to ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and environmental awareness in Northern Portugal. Located in the municipality of Ribeira de Pena, within the mountainous landscape of the Serra do Alvão, the valley forms part of a natural territory where forests, rivers and traditional rural landscapes coexist.
The project combines habitat restoration, nature interpretation and sustainable nature-based activities, contributing to the protection of local ecosystems while promoting responsible interaction with the natural environment.
Vale do Lourêdo is located within Bustelo, in the municipality of Ribeira de Pena. It is named after the river Lourêdo and encompasses a small valley within the mountain range of Alvão. The area has an incredible natural heritage, translated in the mountainous ecosystem, dominated by native deciduous forests, dense riparian areas and rocky slopes.
The area is within the “Alvão-Marão” Site of Community Importance (SIC) of the Natura 2000 Network, and integrates a local cultural heritage site, the Bustelo water mills. It strives to become a space that promotes nature-based activities, while integrating ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem services.
The ecological value of the valley is closely linked to its position within the Natura 2000 ecological network, one of the most important biodiversity conservation frameworks in Europe. Mountain ecosystems, riparian habitats and native forests create favourable conditions for the presence of diverse species of flora and fauna typical of northern Iberian landscapes.
These habitats also form part of a wider ecological corridor connecting the Serra do Alvão, the Marão mountain range and the Tâmega Valley, contributing to regional biodiversity and landscape resilience.
The project aims to improve the conservation status of the land, through its structural and functional ecological recovery, including cleaning, removing invasive species and planting native species. The main objective is to expand areas of high natural interest, such as native oak forests and riparian zones, thus enhancing biodiversity and its resilience to ecological pressures, such as forest fires.
It is also intended to plant species with potential economic return, such as chestnut trees, strawberry trees, wild apple trees and wild pear trees.
Native forests play a fundamental role in maintaining ecosystem balance in mountain landscapes of Northern Portugal. Oak forests and riparian vegetation contribute to soil protection, water regulation and biodiversity conservation, while also providing habitat for a wide range of species.
The restoration of these habitats increases ecological resilience and helps mitigate environmental pressures such as land abandonment, climate change and forest fires.
The project aims to promote activities of a sustainable nature, through the creation of a pedestrian route with the interaction of a strong cultural component. The trail stands out for the installation of support structures designed to integrate the landscape and for the design and implementation of a suspension bridge over the Lourêdo River, closing the walking trail in the Lourêdo Valley.
The designed structures, adapted to the specific context of the area, aim to provide elements of uniqueness to the pedestrian route and the region.
The Fox Trail (Trilho da Raposa) provides visitors with an immersive way to experience the valley’s natural and cultural heritage. By combining landscape interpretation, artistic elements and ecological awareness, the trail creates a deeper connection between visitors and the surrounding environment.
Walking trails such as this play an important role in promoting responsible nature tourism while encouraging respect for local ecosystems and biodiversity.
The project has an environmental awareness and nature conservation component, through the provision of information regarding biodiversity and natural values in the region. Nature guides are being developed, which reveal the different species of fauna and flora present in the area, with detailed information about them and relevant information in the local context.
These guides aim to make the local natural heritage known not only to visitors to the Lourêdo Valley, but also to communities, schools, companies and local authorities.
The development of digital nature guides strengthens the educational dimension of the project, providing accessible information about species, habitats and ecological processes occurring in the valley.
These resources contribute to increasing awareness of biodiversity in Northern Portugal and encourage responsible interaction with natural landscapes.
Coordination: Nuno Quidiongo (Northern Pathways)
Consultancy and development of scientific content: Helena Santos (Terrawise)
Architecture and artistic design: Hugo Reis and Filipa Almeida (FAHR 021.3)
Web design, graphic design and communication: António Cruz + Carlos Gonçalves (A.Cruz Design Studio)
Cultural production: Andreia Faria
Funding: Fundo Ambiental and Northern Pathways
The landscapes surrounding the Vale do Lourêdo form part of a wider territory rich in biodiversity, history and cultural heritage.
These environments can also be explored through private and curated journeys across Northern Portugal, designed to reveal the region’s landscapes, wildlife and traditions.