Pioneering intervention to restore the most important native forest in Portugal, in Peneda-Gerês National Park
LIFE WILD WOLF project, in close partnership with the Portuguese Institute for Nature and Forests Conservation (ICNF), carried out an unprecedented habitat restoration intervention in the Albergaria Forest, located in the heart of Peneda-Gerês National Park.
In a pilot area of nearly three hectares, the action conducted in October 2005 focused on the selective removal of hundreds of exotic Chamaecyparis trees, which locally exhibit invasive behaviour since their size and shading threaten the survival of native shrub and tree species, including majestic centenary oaks and riparian forests along the watercourses.
The operation stood out for the adoption of sustainable and low environmental impact methods, such as the use of horse traction—a sustainable technique that combines efficiency, respect for the natural environment, and animal welfare—to remove the chopped trees (a total of 85 tons of wood), and complemented by the manual removal of seedlings from this exotic species’ regrowth, tasks carried out in collaboration with the Portuguese Association of Animal Traction (APTRAN), and members of the Forest Brigades and the National Corps of Forest Agents of ICNF (CNAF).
These interventions aim to protect the soil, reduce the risk of erosion along watercourses, and preserve the local regeneration of native trees and shrubs, such as oaks, yews, and holly trees, showcasing good forest management practices in areas that are difficult to access or of high environmental value, where the usual mechanical actions involving heavy machinery would be unfeasible or harmful.
With this initiative, LIFE WILD WOLF aims to demonstrate how traditional solutions, combined with innovation and conservation, can play a key role in the recovery of natural habitats that benefit not only the Iberian wolf's wild prey, such as roe deer and red deer, but also the entire local biodiversity.
The Albergaria Forest, which stretches over an area of more than 1,500 hectares along the Homem River valley and its tributaries, is considered one of the best-preserved patches of native forest in the Iberian Peninsula. Integrated into public lands of the Peneda-Gerês National Park, was included in the European Network of Biogenetic Reserve in 1988, in recognition of its exceptional ecological value.
Within the scope of LIFE WILD WOLF, all areas invaded by Chamaecyparis throughout the Albergaria Forest were also mapped, with the aim of ensuring their gradual removal, accompanied by reforestation with native species, through a best practice replication to be assured by ICNF in the next years. This medium-term strategy aims to guarantee an improvement in ecological conditions, promoting wild prey for wolves as well as benefiting a wide range of plants and animals that are threatened and protected by EU Directives.
A promotional short video with English subtitles was produced by the portuguese authority for Nature and Forests Conservation, focusing this intervention from LIFE WILD WOLF. You can find it here.
© ICNF, 2025
For more information: lifewildwolfportugal@gmail.com; LIFE WILD WOLF Portugal
