Vegoa Project, Faro (Portugal)
About the project
Vegoa Project is regenerating 103 hectares of drought-stricken, wildfire-scarred land in Vila do Bispo, Portugal - a marginal landscape once shaped by traditional cork harvesting, now caught in a spiral of desertification. We're turning it into a living case study for what rainfed, community-driven reforestation can achieve on some of Europe's toughest terrain.
Objective
Regenerate 90 hectares into a resilient, biodiverse forest oasis 100% rainfed. By pairing native climax species like cork oak and carob with nitrogen-fixing nurse trees, and rebuilding natural water and fertility cycles from the ground up, we're proving that degraded land can become both ecologically thriving and economically viable.
Impact
Every tree planted rebuilds soil, slows water loss, and fights back against fire and desertification, while creating a hands-on resource for volunteers and neighbouring communities. This isn't just restoration; it's a replicable model for reviving marginal Mediterranean landscapes.
How do we measure this impact?
Number of trees planted
Number of hectares restored
Tons of CO2 eq absorbed**
Community members involved
Students involved
Jobs created
Supporting this project means supporting the following SDGs:
If you would like to support this project, get in touch at:
