In a question addressed to the Minister of the Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, the spokesperson and sole member of parliament for the People-Animals-Nature (PAN) party wrote that “one of the favourite places to visit” in this national park is the Barja waterfall, known as the Tahiti Waterfall.

The party states that the location has seen some accidents due to the “poor safety conditions provided by the landscape and natural trail”, some of which have led to “human losses”.

In the text, Inês Sousa Real writes that “under the pretext of increasing security in accessing the Tahiti waterfall, the Terras de Bouro local authority intends to build several access points to it, fencing, a car park and a large viewpoint above the waterfall”.

“While not neglecting the importance of ensuring the safety and protection of visitors to this area, a close look at the images released of this project shows that it not only disrespects the natural landscape of the place but also goes far beyond the promise of safety”, she criticises.

The PAN spokesperson states that “although this work has been approved by the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) and the Portuguese Environmental Association (APA), the opinion in question received a favourable conditional approval”, highlighting that “the mitigation measures that will have to be applied” are not known.

The party calls for respect for the nature and biodiversity of the place and for “more transparency” regarding the local authority’s project.

The mayor of Terras de Bouro justifies the work, already awarded 205 thousand euros, with the need to prevent accidents that occur annually at the Barja Waterfall, known as the Tahiti Waterfall, where the local authority wants to prohibit bathing.