LIFE Wild Wolf Plenary Meeting in Portugal
From 9 to 12 March 2026, partners of the LIFE Wild Wolf (LWW) project gathered in Vila do Conde, Portugal, for a four-day plenary meeting combining coordination sessions, technical discussions, field visits, and a dedicated workshop for facilitators.
Objectives of the Meeting
The objectives of the meeting were to:
Review progress of project tasks and address implementation challenges
Agree on priorities and detailed planning for 2026
Discuss implementation risks and mitigation measures
Focus on final project activities and the communication and dissemination of results
Coordinate facilitators and define next steps for stakeholder platforms
Core Coordination and Technical Meeting
The core coordination and technical meeting was held at the Municipal Youth Center of Vila do Conde, with the support of local authorities, and brought together more than 50 participants from across Europe.
Following welcome remarks from the coordinating beneficiary and the Portuguese partners, participants engaged in a full day of technical discussions covering progress, deliverables, and implementation challenges across work packages.
Key topics included:
Monitoring and protocols
Conflict mitigation measures
Replication and scaling up
Communication and stakeholder engagement
The coordination meeting concluded with a workshop for initiators of stakeholder platforms, laying the groundwork for the facilitators’ workshop on the final day.
Field Visit to Natura 2000 Sites in Northern Portugal
On 11 March, participants took part in a full-day field visit across Natura 2000 sites in northern Portugal, including Serra d`Arga Natura 2000 site, Paredes de Coura, Parada and the Protected Landscape of Corno do Bico Natura 2000 site.
The programme included:
Visits to habitat restoration areas
Presentation of a livestock guarding dog provided to a sheep breeder
Observation of ongoing restoration actions in collaboration with the local organization ACHLI
Demonstration by the GNR dog unit for poison detection
The field visit provided a comprehensive overview of how project actions are implemented in practice in the Portuguese project area, linking technical work with on-the-ground realities.
Facilitators Workshop and Focus Group
The final day was dedicated to a workshop for facilitators of stakeholder platforms, building on previous exchanges, including the online focus group held in December 2025.
Sessions explored:
The influence of system context on participatory processes
The role of facilitators in managing collaborative dynamics
Knowledge sharing and co-creation within stakeholder platforms
Participants worked through practical scenarios, both individually and in groups, to address real-life facilitation challenges.
The workshop concluded with an open discussion on opportunities and challenges in participatory processes related to human–wolf coexistence, followed by a wrap-up and closing of the meeting.
Strengthening Coordination for the Final Phase
The plenary meeting in Vila do Conde marked a key step in aligning partners for the final phase of the LIFE Wild Wolf project.
By combining coordination, field experience, and targeted capacity-building, the meeting reinforced the project’s commitment to evidence-based and participatory approaches to improving coexistence between humans and wolves across Europe.
