North-East Portugal | Faia Brava

The high biodiversity values of Faia Brava mainly consist of a unique population of Cliff breeders, occupying the canyons along the river Coa: Griffons vulture, Egyptian vulture, Golden eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Eagle owl, Black Stork, and other species. The creation of a Reserve is the best possible measure to guarantee the necessary conditions: no disturbance, no wild fires, no developments in the river such as dams.

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donated in 2024

This amount has been used to purchase land to enlarge the protected area

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SNP travellers

have donated the initial amount of € 10.000 that was doubled by SNP

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hectares

was added by this donation to the existing nature reserve

Enlarging Faia Brava for sustainable protection of cliff breeders

In the period 2000-2023 the managing organization Faia Brava ATN (Asociacão Transumância e Natureza) managed to acquire 1000 ha of land, protecting 7 km of River stretch, including most of the slopes. In order to manage the land, a minimum surface is needed to allow for natural grazing by horses. Enlarging the reserve up to the upper flanks allows to regulate disturbance from uphill (agriculture, tourists, hunters). Enlarging along the river allows to protect more cliffs. This strategy has proven effective, since Egyptian vulture showed no decline in the last decade, contrary to the downtrend noticeable in Portugal.

Where is the donation of GBTN spend on?

We aim to finalize the purchase of 36 hectares of land, in the Northwest of Faia Brava on the left bank of the Coa. The properties consists of a variety of habitats: cliffs, a small valley, broom dominated slopes. The properties provide a size of pasture land to the West part of Faia Brava to enable grazing, and link Faia Brava to the Quinta de Espinhaso (see Map). With the help of GBTN
Faia Brava ATN can become the unrestricted land owner of this land within the reserve, leading also to a situation where the Reserve is free of any loan at all.

What is the objected effect on biodiversity:

Impression

More info on the project

Find out more on their own website: www.naturiberica.nl

 

 

The Natura Iberica Foundation was established in 2015 to support and promote environmental sustainability in the Iberian Peninsula. We do this by contributing to the economic sustainability of Portuguese and Spanish nature conservation organizations. Since our inception, we have focused our efforts mainly on the nature reserve Faia Brava in northeast Portugal.