Ludo steppe: requalification of the external area of the Vale Gonçalinho Environmental Education Center

Project name | LUDO’ESTEPE – REQUALIFICATION OF THE EXTERNAL AREA OF THE VALE GONÇALINHO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER

Project code |  ALT20-06-5141-FEDER-001128

Main goal

Requalification and promotion of the natural landscape heritage, with the requalification of the old garden of the Vale Gonçalinho estate as an outdoor area associated to the CEAVG - Vale Gonçalinho Environmental Education Center with proper conditions to support visits to the Special Protection Area (SPA) of Castro Verde and the Castro Verde UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Intervention Region | low-Alentejo

Beneficiary entity | League for the Protection of Nature – Vale Gonçalinho Environmental Education Center

Approval date: 18-11-2019

Start date: OCTOBER 2020

End date: 31-12-2021

Total eligible cost: 49,938.00 Euros

Financial support from the European Union FEDER – 42447.30 Euros

Private financing: 7490.70 Euros
 

Goals, activities and expected results

This project aims to achieve the following strategic goals:

• Leverage the region’s touristic potential associated with the environment and nature;
• Enhance and improve the touristic offer, contributing to improve the attractiveness of the region;
• Promote the conservation and enhancement of natural resources in order to consolidate the region as a touristic destination associated to a skilled supply and adjusted to the environmental, natural and heritage characteristics, reinforcing the identity of the territory and offering nature tourism of quality;
• Contribute to an increase in the flow of visitors, associating recreation and leisure to the quality of the environment and landscape (particularly biodiversity);
• Contribute to the appreciation of natural resources, namely biodiversity in Areas of High Natural Value such as the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Castro Verde and the Castro Verde SPA (Natura 2000);
• Enhancement and promotion of the landscape and natural heritage, with the requalification of the old garden of the Vale do Gonçalinho estate as an outdoor area associated to the Vale Gonçalinho Environmental Education Center with proper conditions to support visits to the Special Protection Area (SPA) of Castro Verde and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Castro Verde;
• Improve conditions for nature enjoyment and the development of nature tourism activities that contribute to the sustainability of the territory.

ACTIVITIES

The planned intervention will allow a landscape requalification of the external area of the CEAVG, notably the area of the old garden, which will be a multi-activity area that will increase the enjoyment and leisure conditions of the visitors.

In this multi-activity area, visitors will have at their disposal new recreational resources to discover the cereal steppe of Campo Branco and to know the natural values characteristic of low-Alentejo, which will complement the already existing values of the CEAVG.  

The planned interventions include a threshing floor, a garden of aromatic herbs, illustrative lands of the steppe landscape, requalification of wells for awareness raising, a tree circuit and a children’s area with modules inspired by native fauna species. This intervention will allow the motor and sensory exploration, diversifying the offer of activities that promote knowledge of the cereal steppe of Castro Verde and contact with nature.  

EXPECTED RESULTS

This requalification will increase the potential of the CEAVG to welcome visitors, whether foreign tourists or national tourists of all ages, families, and schools, contributing to the enhancement of natural resources of this High-Value Natural Area included in Natura 2000 (SPA of Castro Verde) and classified as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Castro Verde.

Photo: © Rui Cunha