In a statement, Quercus/Aveiro states that there are no major efforts to stop the growth of eucalyptus monoculture areas, or other invasive species such as acacias or pampas grass, adding that the region of Aveiro "continues to take a stand for the worst reasons at this point".

"Licenses continue to be issued, there are no inspections of the planted land and, when there are complaints, there is no place for legality to be restored", emphasises the environmental association.

Another of the major environmental problems in the district of Aveiro, which will have a major impact in the near future, according to Quercus, is coastal erosion.

The association says that in addition to nothing significant having been done to counteract erosion, in terms of land use planning, “interventions are promoted that cause deterioration of dune and coastal areas”, which are the territory’s natural defenses against the advance from the sea.

“We continue to see cases of tree felling and destruction of vegetation, as was the case in the Ovar pine forest, construction and sand movement, using heavy machinery, in dune areas, as has been seen on the beaches of Barra and Vagueira”, says the same note.

Quercus also warns of the existence of untreated discharges into rivers and the sea, adding that the “unwillingness of supervisory bodies to enforce legislation and impunity” leads to people continuing to commit the same environmental crimes.

As for the best environmental facts, the association highlights the presence of community projects related to waste management in the participatory budget of Aveiro.

For Quercus, this situation reveals that some citizens are starting to worry about these issues and consider that it is necessary to do something to change the current scenario of waste management.