Gespräche über Land, Stewardship und neue Möglichkeiten in Portugal

Last week we joined a meeting in Portugal to look at how the country can unlock more land for nature restoration. It was hosted by the Dutch Embassy in Portugal together with LandOS, who brought together people working in land governance, geodata, digital tools and landscape management.

Portugal has around 11.5 million rustic parcels, many of them inherited and split across generations. The result is a landscape full of small, disconnected plots where almost 30% of the land is unregistered or unmanaged. When land sits in limbo, it becomes more vulnerable to degradation, erosion, wildfires and even long-term desertification.

The event focused on how to change that. We heard practical examples and new approaches that can help connect landowners, open access to reliable data and make restoration work possible at a larger scale. Strengthening Portuguese–Dutch collaboration is a big part of this: sharing tools, experience and methods that help turn unused or abandoned land into healthier, more resilient landscapes.

Grateful to everyone who contributed their knowledge and time:
Paula Geadas, Margriet Leemhuis, Lianne Zuurbier, Karin Overbeek, Mariana Serra, Alexander Griekspoor, Daniel Mathon, Ellen D'Haese, Mariana A. Nuno LACASTA, Carlos Fonseca, Joana Fernandes, Mathijs de Bruin, Federico Franciamore, Alex Neidermeier, Carolina Sá, Olaf Veerman, Vasco Mantas, Wouter Heijnen, Netherlands Agricultural Network.