- what we want to do and why -
“Quinta dos Amores” is an ecologic project. We work towards climate stability and increased resistence to climate change.
Sustainable Renaturation and Developement of biodiverse Ecosystems
to protect and propagate climate-appropriate species
1. Reasons for the project
Due to climate change (less rainfall, high fire risk in arid territories, etc.), and human mismanagement a lot of areas are challenged by erosion, sinking ground-water tables and many other issues. Our project intends to renaturate land, burned by large wild fires in Portugal in 2017.
Reestablish ecosystems, replenish the groundwater-table with rainwater harvesting techniques aswell as creating biodiversity and replanting and protecting indigenous species, to build resistance against future fires.
Gather climate data and documenting our progress to be able to share information.
Intergrating current knowledge and technology into ecologic and permanent agriculture and forestation systems and reducing the ecologic footprint.
2. Projectgoal, target group aswell as their use for the project
Targets are:
– the natural ecosystem, increased natural recources and safety
– the global comunity, rising awareness
Renaturation, sustainable natural and biodiverse ecosystems – reducing wild fire risk and improving soil and water conditions for carbon-absorbtion and higher rainwater infiltration.
Promoting awareness locally and internationally for the need to protect our environment.
3. Results, Products that are to be produced
Natural Produce (Apicultural Producs, Aromatic Herbs, Trees, Seeds, Nuts etc.), natural benefits to the region, increased recources, collected data and information.
Propagation of apropriate species: Seed storage and tree nusery for viable species and endangered and rare plant species.
Benefcial effects for plants, insects, invertebrates, birds and mamels, all along the food chain.
Better water and soil quality aswell as carbon-absorbtion-rates.
4. Longterm intentions
Preserving and expanding the project, with more land to apply successfull principles and gained experience, consulting and helping in similar projects.
Cooperations with other projects to increase impact and become more effcient.
Share results and products we produce with organizations and persons supporting the environment.
5. Necessary measures, needed to reach the set project goals
5.1. Further Site analisis.
5.1.1. Detailed hightmapping and placement and marking of on-contour swale positions
5.1.2. Technical analisis for water catchment stability and appropriate materials
5.2. Support infrastructure for work teams and volonteers aswell as storage and needed equipment. Acces to the site is already possible.
5.2.1. Communitary kitchen and sanitary installation for circa 25 people to work and/or learn on site
5.2.2. Drinking water from well(s) and rain water cisterns for other water needs of the people and animals on site.
5.2.3. Equipment: small tractor, wood chipper, auger, motorsaw, trimmer and basic gardening and building equipment
5.3. Rainwater catchment and storage systems
5.3.1. Swales and keyline trenches for higher rainwater infiltration into the soil
5.3.2. Primary ponds for rainwater storage for irrigation systems and climate stability
5.3.3. Natural water treatment systems for aeration and infiltration, focus on aquatic plants and microorganisms
5.3.4. Water systems for fire prevention – high placed reserve tank or pond to combat wild fire without the need for electric pump systems that would be proan to faliure during power failure.
5.4. Plant and Forest Systems aswell as a complete cycle of support species
5.4.1. Control of already established partially invasive primary vegetation (acacia trees) after the fires
5.4.2. Forestation of areas with more than 30% slope to prevent further erosion, aswell as tree cover for any water reservoirs to lessen evaporation.
5.4.3. Establishing water ecosystems and aquatic flora.
5.4.4. Establishing apropriate and diverse ground cover (plants, shrubs, smaller trees, and dead biomass) for all other areas with special care to insect friendly continuus owering times of the ora thoughout the year.
5.4.5. Estabilishing different kinds of gardens, vegetation zones, and firebrake areas with apropriate vegetation. Also specific conditions and microclimates for natural fauna diversity (primary: insects, birds, reptiles and amphibians / all others are secundary)
5.4.6. Irrigation systems to support plant growth and resistance to the arid summer climate durig the rst 2-3years.
5.4.7. Animals, animal shelters and range zones, in small numbers in a supportive capacity for vegetation control, cleanig before the arid time of the year to reduce re risk, for biomass generation, soil-improvement and to generate soil nutrients ecologicly.
5.5. Data collection and open source publication / at all stages of project
5.5.1. Climate Station aswell as regular water quality tests
5.5.2. Soil testing and documentation
5.5.3. Open source publication of all collected data on homepage and as support information for other projects in the region.
5.5.4. Documentation and Publication of other related actions/project steps.
– MORE INFORMATION –