Support the BIOLAB pilot project in the Pinhal Interior. With €500,000, we will regenerate the forest, repurpose existing buildings and promote the bioeconomy and regenerative agriculture to attract people, create jobs and revitalise the area.
The recent storms have left deep scars on the Pinhal Interior forest, making its recovery an urgent priority. This is a demanding process, requiring investment in biotechnology to strengthen the resilience of species and ensure the effective regeneration of the area. This project has been developed in response to this challenge, enabling not only the recovery of affected areas, but also the transformation of this adversity into an opportunity to revitalise the landscape.
The region faces critical challenges: depopulation, an ageing population and the degradation of ecosystems – factors that significantly increase the risk of severe wildfires. However, we believe that this situation can be reversed through an integrated approach to valuing natural capital.
It is in this context that the Pinhal Interior BIOLAB – Living Forest Ecosystem emerges, a model for territorial regeneration that combines forest conservation with the creation of economic opportunities and the retention of residents.
The pilot project focuses on welcoming and settling entrepreneurial families, based on four complementary pillars:
- Territorial cooperative model: the creation of a cooperative model that structures the governance, production and marketing of activities within the region. This approach enables the coordination of investment, knowledge and local stakeholders, ensuring shared and sustainable management and laying the foundations for future replication.
- BIOLAB and plant biotechnology: establishment of a pilot micropropagation unit for the production of native, resilient plants of high phytosanitary quality, supporting reforestation, local nurseries and the development of new economic activities linked to the bioeconomy and innovation in the region.
- Regenerative agriculture and extensive goat farming: revitalising soils, promoting biodiversity and using herds as a natural tool for fuel management, thereby reducing the risk of fire and generating high-value products.
- Retaining the local population and revitalising the area: refurbishing and repurposing existing buildings to accommodate new families, alongside the creation of agroforestry mosaics and green corridors, promoting a more resilient, balanced landscape better adapted to climate change.
To ensure the sustainability of the activities carried out, the project forms part of the Pinhal ImPACT initiative, a itinerary business incubator that supports the development of local businesses through training, mentoring and ongoing support.
By supporting this campaign, you are investing in a circular bioeconomy model that values ecosystem services, creates jobs and has a direct impact on communities.
The €500,000 grant will enable us to implement this pilot project, creating the conditions to welcome new families, boost the local economy and regenerate the forest, with the potential for the scheme to be replicated in other parts of the region in the future.
Let’s bring life back to the Central Forest.
About the author
ADXTUR – Agency for the Tourism Development of the Schist Villages – is a supra-municipal public-private regional cooperation platform that leads the Network of Schist Villages.
This network comprises 28 villages in the Central Region of Portugal and involves around 230 public and private entities, including 20 municipalities, 5 inter-municipal communities, 7 local action groups and more than 150 companies operating in the area.
ADXTUR’s mission is to enhance the region’s appeal by promoting sustainable, integrated and participatory social and economic development, based on the promotion of local resources, cultural identity and communities.
Since its creation, ADXTUR has established itself as a structure for coordination and strategic convergence in the Pinhal Interior region, promoting concerted action between public and private stakeholders and contributing to the enhancement of the region as a destination in which to live, invest and create.
In this project, ADXTUR acts as the coordinating body, responsible for liaising between municipalities and local partners, coordinating activities and overseeing the proposed territorial regeneration model as a whole.
Through Pinhal ImPACT, a tool for monitoring and incubating projects, structural support will be provided to entrepreneurial families, including mentoring, business plan development and impact assessment, thereby ensuring the creation of sustainable economic activities in the region.
ADXTUR’s commitment is a long-term one: rather than simply implementing a pilot project, the aim is to help build a resilient community, a dynamic local bioeconomy and a landscape that will endure for future generations.
Budget and due dates
The sum of €500,000 will be allocated to an integrated pilot project, aligned with the four pillars of the proposed model, focused on welcoming, retaining and empowering entrepreneurial families. This investment covers the initial implementation phase — housing, means of production, training and business start-up — enabling the model to be tested in a real-world context and laying the foundations for future replication.
Detailed budget (€500,000):
· Refurbishment and repurposing of an existing building: complete refurbishment to create living and working space, including thermal insulation, infrastructure and facilities to accommodate new residents in the area.
· BIOLAB – design and installation of the pilot unit: technical development and installation of a small-scale micropropagation unit, including the procurement of equipment, the establishment of protocols and the launch of operations.
· BIOLAB – production and acclimatisation nursery: setting up an initial system for the production of native and resilient plants, including a germplasm bank, links to an acclimatisation nursery, and support for reforestation and local economic activities.
· Community grazing and livestock programme: purchase of native-breed animals and mobile infrastructure (shelters, electric fences, water troughs), enabling natural fuel management and the creation of associated economic value.
· Regenerative agriculture and local nurseries: preparing production areas, purchasing shared equipment, establishing a seed bank of native species, and supporting the implementation of short supply chains.
· Forest management and green corridors: implementing agroforestry crops and solutions in strategic areas, helping to create more resilient landscapes and reduce the risk of fire.
· Training, mentoring and incubation (Pinhal ImPACT): training, technical guidance and support for business development, ensuring the economic sustainability of activities and encouraging new residents to settle in the area.
Estimated timeline (12 to 18 months):
· Months 1–3: selection and onboarding of families; start of the refurbishment and repurposing of an existing building; technical development of BIOLAB; structuring of the territorial cooperative model and coordination with partners.
· Months 4–6: completion of the rehabilitation and settlement of families; establishment of the community herd; preparation of agricultural areas; installation of the BIOLAB pilot unit and start of initial production.
· Months 7–9: first pilot plantations; implementation of agricultural and forestry activities; development of BIOLAB production and links to nurseries.
· Months 10–12: launch of short supply chains; monitoring of initial results regarding production, fuel management and land use.
· Months 13–18: consolidation of economic activities; ongoing support for families; stabilisation of BIOLAB production and validation of the model for future replication.
This approach allows for a phased and controlled implementation, ensuring coordination between investment, execution and the impact on the local area. By testing the model in a real-world context, this pilot project lays the foundations for its future replication, contributing to a broader strategy for ecological regeneration, economic development and retaining residents in the Pinhal Interior region.
