The Foz do Almargem and Trafal Local Nature Reserve, in Quarteira, was classified as a protected area on August 14, 2024 (Notice No. 17412/2024/2), due to its great ecological and landscape importance.

The area includes sensitive ecosystems, habitats of several protected species and plays a fundamental role in water regulation and biodiversity conservation.

Despite this classification, Loulé City Council (CML) licensed construction projects before the reserve was classified, but allowed construction work to proceed AFTER it was officially declared a protected area.

Currently, there are two major interventions planned for the reserve:

-The construction of a restaurant and a parking lot for 300 cars within the pine forest, resulting in the cutting down of trees and destruction of habitats.

It is necessary to clarify the compliance of the licensing: License No. 56994 was issued before the reserve was made official (10/04/2023), but the license was only made public on 12/10/2024, after the area was already protected (08/14/2024).

-The construction of a hotel on a separate lot, resulting from an old subdivision (Permit No. 5/1971), the construction right for which was never reassessed in light of the new classification of the reserve.

Since the beginning of the works, we have observed the fencing of the private area, large-scale earthworks, destruction of native vegetation and the removal of trees not only on the project site, but also outside it, further compromising the reserve's ecosystem.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM

1. LICENSING BASED ON OUTDATED INFORMATION

The CML claims that the projects were approved before the classification of the reserve, but: -The construction notice was only placed after the classification of the reserve;

-The Coastal Area Development Plan (POOC) only provided a license for a simple beach support and parking in flat clearing spaces, not a large-scale development with a massive parking lot (300 cars).

-The hotel's subdivision license dates back to 1971 (!), before any modern environmental regulation and without any reassessment since then.

-The classification of the area as a reserve should have led to a reassessment of the environmental and urban impact by entities not regulated by the CML, which did not happen.

2. ABSENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

- An updated Environmental Impact Study was not carried out considering the new status of the protected area.

- The project ignores protected species and fragile habitats, compromising the ecological balance of the reserve.

- The removal of vegetation compromises water retention and soil stability, which can lead to erosion and acceleration of the degradation of the area.

3. THE ICNF DID NOT GIVE A FAVOURABLE OPINION AND WAS NOT CONSULTED Loulé City Council justified the progress of the work based on favorable opinions from: -APA (Portuguese Environment Agency)

-CCDR (Regional Coordination and Development Commission)

-National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC)

The ICNF, the entity responsible for the conservation of biodiversity and the management of protected areas, was not consulted nor did it give a favorable opinion on the construction. This could be a significant procedural error, as intervention in an area classified as a nature reserve should be assessed by the ICNF.

4. EUROPEAN LAWS TO BE CONSIDERED

In addition to the issue of possible conflicts at national level, this project may also raise questions regarding compliance with European Union environmental directives, namely the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) and the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (2011/92/EU, amended by 2014/52/EU).

These directives oblige member states to protect sensitive ecosystems and ensure that any project with an environmental impact undergoes rigorous assessment – something that does not appear to have been done adequately in this case.

The European Commission has reinforced that environmental conservation must be a priority and that Member States must follow the European Climate Law (Regulation 2021/1119) to reduce the destruction of natural areas.

We demand this case to be reviewed in light of European Union legislation, and that the European Commission and other competent entities be notified to ensure that Portugal complies with the environmental commitments it has made.

This project directly contradicts the Management Regulation of the Foz do Almargem and Trafal Local Nature Reserve, approved by Notice No. 17412/2024/2, of August 14, and publicly available for consultation on the Loulé City Council website.

This regulation recognises the scenic, natural and cultural values of the area, as well as the need to preserve its ecosystems. However, the approved works include:

-The destruction of natural habitats (contrary to the reserve's mission)

-The installation of a large restaurant and a car park for 300 cars within the dense pine forest area

-The felling of trees and the massive movement of soil without a proper environmental impact study

The regulation itself -link: (https://www.cm-loule.pt/pt/menu/3804/reserva-natural-local-da-foz-do-almargem-e-trafal.aspx ) requires the protection of biodiversity and natural resources, but the project is doing exactly the opposite of that.

WHAT DO WE DEMAND?

!!! The immediate suspension of the works on the restaurant and car park permit and an urgent review of the licensing, in view of the new classification of the reserve.

!!! The carrying out of an updated Environmental Impact Study, which assesses the damage caused and future risks.

!!! The consideration of the hotel's license, since it is based on an old subdivision that has never been reassessed in light of the new environmental regulations.

!!! The accountability of the bodies involved, including Loulé City Council and the entities that allowed the works to go ahead without adequate review.

!!! Ensuring the recovery of the area already affected and the implementation of preventive measures, as well as making sure that any further intervention respects and protects the environmental interest of the nature reserves.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE SO FAR?

1-We created a Facebook support group which counts with 518 followers;

2-We've created a petition in order to take this matter to the Plenary of the Republic's Assembly of Portugal, for that we need 7500 signatures and we are currently at 3128 (April 12th 2025)

Petition link: https://peticaopublica.com/?pi=PT124724

WHY CREATE A CROWDFUNDING?

After trying to reach out and ask for answers from both the president from Junta de Freguesia de Quarteira and the president of Loulé Municipality Council and being told by both that we have no right to demand this project from going forward without the proper investigations, one of them adding that they do not need to make studies for "everything" as this is not mandatory by law, it was clear to us that it is only through popular action that we will be able to protect our Local Natural Reserve,

but in order to do that we need funds for:

1- Making sure we are able to afford the legal expenses of our legal representative to move forward with every possible legal actions to put a hault on these works until a proper investigation and scientific environmental study is done to the area;

2-All resources necessary for our activism actions against the cause;

3- The remuneration for the people collecting important data such as questionnaires and for the collection of signatures and in person for our petition which needs 7500 signatures in order to be taken to the Plenary of the Republic Assembly.

We have had several people asking how can they contribute and suggesting us to open this Crowdfunding and hopefully we will be able to reach out to you with this request to support us fighting against what we consider, an urgent and extremely disrespect to our Natural Reserve as well as it's usual visitors and to the local community.

This is a sacred space for a lot of us, carrying an ancient history and memories from most of us locals who used this space since we were born to create moments with family and friends, to medidate and be in contact with the last piece of pure Nature in Quarteira.

All help and support is welcome and necessary for us to move forward with this cause!

Thank you for reading this far and for your donations.

UPDATE May 2025

It is with great pain that we see the construction of the restaurant take place with a lot of speed and also not feeling like the right support was given to this cause by the people who we were counting on.

We continue to witness more and more destruction and feel like our hands are tide.

We also keep saying the workers threatening people who film what they are doing because they are shocked with how much they are destroying and how quickly they are doing everything, possibly to make sure they open the restaurant in the Summer of this year.

We keep asking you for you donations but also to sign our petition:

Sign the petition here

You can find images of the magnitude of the restaurant being built in the local NATURAL RESERVE below.

You can find more information and contact us through our Instagram accounts:

Portuguese original account: @deixem_a_almargem_em_paz

English account: @peace.in_almargem