Portugal Wins Council of Europe Landscape Award for Flora and Fauna Restoration

The municipality of Lousã, Portugal, has been awarded the Council of Europe Landscape Award for its project 'Villages of Serra da Lousã - where the villages sound unique.' This marks the first time Portugal has received this distinction. The project, initiated in 2002, focuses on revitalizing the mountain landscape encompassing five villages: Candal, Casal Novo, Cerdeira, Chiqueiro, and Talasnal. The initiative aims to restore traditional houses, as well as endemic fauna and flora. The award recognizes sustainable territorial development, exemplary value, public participation, and increased awareness. The project began with the approval of Village Plans, a municipal policy in the Coimbra district, and involved private agents over two decades. Its implementation has reversed decline and abandonment, safeguarding heritage values and revitalizing the villages through landscape management, conservation, and governance measures.