The Douro International, Montesinho and Tagus International Natural Parks, and the Serra da Malcata Natural Reserve and the Portas de Ródão Natural Monument are the areas listed in a cabinet resolution published on Thursday in the Diário da República, the official state journal.

According to the text, the projects aim to “replicate” a pilot plan implemented in the Peneda-Gerês National Park following the forest fires that devastated that area in the summer of 2016, with “the restoration of the areas swept by fires, the creation of conditions for the development of structural prevention actions and the reinforcement of human resources for intervention with greater proximity.”

The document states that the government is “convinced of the good result of the solutions being executed” in Peneda-Gerês and that it aims to “replicate this plan, with due adaptations” in the Douro International and Portas de Ródão – both of which were affected by this year’s fires – and in the three other areas as a preventive measure.

The cabinet resolution, which is dated 21 October, describes the areas mentioned as being of great interest “for the conservation of nature and biodiversity” thanks to the representative nature, rarity and diversity of the flora and fauna they harbour.

Action to be taken includes the hiring of extra manpower for the national forest corps in all the affected areas, but the document also stresses the need to involve local communities. Since much of the land involved is privately owned, the resolution proposes to adopt cooperative and participatory models,

The projects’ implementation is to be overseen by a working group that is to be created by decree by the members of the government responsible for finance and nature conservation.