Microforests to regenerate and educate in the Pinhal Interior

Create 3 microforests in areas affected by Storm Kirstin, regenerating the territory and transforming these spaces into living environments for environmental education for young people.

The Kirstin storm, which occurred in January 2026, left a trail of destruction across the territory, with millions of trees brought down and profound impacts on ecosystems and communities.

In addition to the immediate loss of vegetation cover, this situation exacerbated a structural issue in the Pinhal Interior: more than 90% of the territory is highly vulnerable to rural wildfires. The accumulation of biomass resulting from the storm significantly increases this risk, creating critical conditions for the coming years.

At the same time, the territory is facing the effects of climate change, with increasingly hot, dry and prolonged summers. These phenomena intensify heat islands, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas, directly affecting thermal comfort and the quality of life of local populations.

The storm also directly affected leisure and social spaces — trails, green areas and community spaces — limiting access to essential places for the population.

In this context, it is essential to act, not only to recover, but to regenerate in a more resilient way.

This campaign proposes the creation of three microforests in heavily affected areas, using dense and biodiverse planting models with native species adapted to the territory. This type of intervention enables faster and more effective ecological regeneration, with clear benefits:

• increased biodiversity;
• improved soil water retention;
• reduction in local temperature;
• greater resilience to fire;
• recovery of spaces for community use.

Beyond the physical intervention, this project has a strong educational dimension, positioning microforests as living spaces for learning and environmental awareness. Structured programmes will be developed with schools, adapted to different levels of education, involving young people aged 11 to 18 in practical and educational activities linked to the territory.

These activities include planting actions, awareness sessions on climate change, biodiversity and wildfire prevention, as well as moments of landscape exploration and interpretation, promoting active and contextualised learning.

The aim is not only to engage students, but to provide meaningful experiences that strengthen their connection to the territory, stimulate critical thinking and promote more conscious and responsible behaviours in response to environmental challenges.

Direct involvement of students and teachers is envisaged throughout the project, creating an ongoing relationship between schools and the territory and contributing to the development of environmental, social and civic competences among younger generations.

More than a one-off intervention, this project aims to create a replicable educational model, where microforests move beyond being solely an ecological intervention and become permanent educational tools serving local communities.

The future of the territory can be anticipated.
The difference lies in acting in time.

About the author

ADXTUR – the Agency for the Tourism Development of the Schist Villages – is a public–private regional cooperation platform, operating at a supramunicipal level, which leads the Schist Villages Network.

This network brings together 28 villages in the Central Region of Portugal and involves around 230 public and private entities, including 20 municipalities, 5 intermunicipal communities, 7 local action groups and more than 150 companies operating in the territory.

ADXTUR’s mission is to generate territorial attractiveness by promoting sustainable, integrated and participatory social and economic development. Its work is based on mobilising communities, valuing cultural identity and endogenous resources, and creating the conditions for the development of economic activities, particularly in the tourism sector.

Since its establishment, ADXTUR has established itself as a coordination and strategic convergence structure in the Pinhal Interior, promoting a concerted approach among public and private stakeholders and contributing to the enhancement of the territory as a place to live, invest and create.

In this project, ADXTUR assumes the role of coordinating entity, being responsible for identifying intervention areas in collaboration with municipalities and local partners, as well as for the technical coordination and monitoring of the implementation of the microforests.

In parallel, it will play an active role in disseminating the concept of microforests and ecological regeneration, promoting its replication in other contexts, including in the surrounding areas of the Schist Villages.

ADXTUR will ensure the delivery of the project’s educational component, in collaboration with local partners and specialised entities, promoting activities with schools and young people and contributing to strengthening environmental literacy and the connection between communities and the territory.

Its approach is characterised by an integrated model that combines heritage preservation, cultural valorisation and innovation, mobilising different actors and promoting new forms of territorial development. This project aligns with that trajectory, reinforcing the territory’s capacity to respond to climate challenges and promote sustainable solutions with local impact.

Budget and due dates

The requested investment will be applied directly to the regeneration of affected areas and the implementation of microforests, while also ensuring the technical, educational and monitoring components of the project.

Total budget: €100,000

• Implementation of 3 microforests (€90,000): Includes soil preparation, procurement of native species, planting, protection systems and initial maintenance. (Average cost per microforest: ~€30,000)
• Technical development and site selection (€3,000): Survey and analysis of intervention areas, definition of technical solutions and planning of the microforests.
• Educational programme (€3,000): Development of educational content, delivery of workshops, technical support and practical activities with schools throughout the project.
• Project coordination and management (€2,000): Coordination between municipalities and partners, technical follow-up and monitoring of implementation.
• Communication and dissemination (€2,000): Promotion of the project, sharing of results and promotion of the microforest model for future replication.

Timeline (12 months)

• Phase 1 (Months 1–3): identification of areas, technical planning and coordination with local partners;
• Phase 2 (Months 4–6): implementation of the microforests (site preparation, planting and installation);
• Phase 3 (Months 7–12): initial maintenance, monitoring of microforest development and delivery of educational activities.

This model has been structured to maximise impact in the territory, ensuring that the majority of the investment is directly allocated to the implementation of the microforests.