500,000 trees to be planted in Monchique

This fire, the largest in Europe that year, consumed almost 28,000 hectares of forest.

The project was relaunched on November 7, 2024, with the presentation of the results obtained and the objectives established during the new planting season. The main goal is ambitious: to plant 500,000 trees by February 2025.

"This project was born out of the urgent need to restore devastated areas, support the local community in recovering from the destruction caused by the fires and mitigate the future impacts of climate change. So far, we have managed to plant more than 383,000 trees and support 67 landowners and their families. By planting an additional 125,000 trees and supporting 10 more landowners, we are making a joint and ongoing effort to restore the Serra de Monchique to its ecological and social vitality,” said Américo Ferreira from GEOTA's Executive Committee.

Thomas Fowler, Ryanair's Director of Sustainability, said: “We are proud to support the Renature Monchique project, which is taking significant steps to restore the Serra de Monchique. This initiative not only helps to restore a unique and vulnerable landscape but also strengthens the community's resilience to future environmental challenges. By investing in reforestation, we hope to make a positive and lasting impact in Portugal.”

The project is coordinated by GEOTA with significant support from Ryanair, which has already contributed 1.4 million euros and is now reinforcing the partnership with a further 400 thousand euros, earmarked entirely for reforestation of the Serra de Monchique.

André Gomes, President of the Algarve Tourism Region, believes that “the Renature Monchique project is an exemplary initiative in the recovery and preservation of the Serra de Monchique, consolidating the Algarve as a Nature Tourism destination. Through reforestation with native species, we are regenerating an area deeply affected by the 2018 fires, protecting biodiversity and enriching the visitor experience. This joint effort, led by GEOTA, with the support of Ryanair, ICNF, the Municipality of Monchique and Turismo do Algarve, reflects our commitment to sustainable tourism that values ​​natural heritage and strengthens the connection between the local community and nature that sets us apart.”

Paulo Alves, Mayor of Monchique, stated: "The Renature Monchique project promotes the ecological recovery of the areas affected by the 2018 fire, encouraging the recovery of their productive potential without forgetting the need to encourage the conservation of native species that are so characteristic of the Serra de Monchique, and that so well represent its environmental wealth and regional uniqueness. It directly involves the owners, encouraging a more active and informed management of their properties, which in the medium term will translate into the generation of value in terms of more traditional forestry products, such as cork oak and strawberry tree. But it will also promote the renaturalization of some areas with species of high conservation value, such as the Monchique oak and chestnut tree."

The Renature Monchique project is the result of a partnership between GEOTA, Ryanair, the Algarve Tourism Board, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests and the Municipality of Monchique.