Residents in the area told The Portugal News “hundreds if not over a thousand” trees in the Serra da Sintra had been marked with a big orange circle but argue the vast majority of them “are in no danger of falling, neither are they sick.”
“To cut a few trees and clean the forest is of course natural, but this is a mass clearing which is not right”, a local argued, saying “Sintra is one of the most magical places I have ever visited and I want to keep this magic. By clearing whole areas of green, the magic can disappear in no time.”
Trees along stretches including the road of Penha Longa and a smaller road over the mountain from Malveira da Serra have been earmarked for chopping.
Last week environmental association Quercus asked the Institute for Nature and Forest Conservation to “cancel and re-evaluate” the felling of the trees.
In a statement, the watchdog said it believes the intervention would contribute towards the spread of invasive species of bugs.
Quercus further said it doubted the intervention targeted only trees that needed felling due to
disease.
Ecologist party ‘The Greens’, last week, also called for the head of the ICNF to stand in parliament and clarity the reasoning behind the action, a decision the party said it “laments.”
Conflicting reports suggest the felling could be because of age, infection, or to clear land.
Meanwhile the ICNF has confirmed the mass axing is due to ‘safety reasons’, to “improve road safety” and fight the spread of invasive species.
In a statement ,the Institute explained “the objectives of the felling are to improve road safety by removing all specimens of endangered pine or cypress trees and/or those of poor phytosanitary status, as well as all those that show signs of instability and which could fall and affect circulation on public roads.”
Species marked for the chop include pine, acacia and cedar trees.
The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is one of Portugal’s 13 Natural Parks.
Designated as such by the Portuguese Government in 1994, it has nonetheless been a protected area since 1981 and covers approximately 145 square kilometres.