In one of Europe’s most depopulated rural areas, Rewilding Portugal and partners are restoring ecological connectivity, reducing wildfire risk, and revitalising local economies across the Greater Côa Valley. By reintroducing natural grazers such as Tauros and Sorraia horses, supporting Iberian wolf recovery, and creating the 120,000-hectare Greater Côa Valley wildlife corridor, the initiative is transforming abandoned farmland into biodiverse, fire-resilient landscapes. A growing network of local entrepreneurs—the Wild Côa Network—is driving nature-based tourism and sustainable enterprise, linking rewilding outcomes with community prosperity.
The Greater Côa Valley is a rugged Mediterranean landscape of oak woodlands, scrub, heath, and farmland mosaics, shaped by centuries of traditional grazing and smallholder agriculture. However, rural depopulation and land abandonment have reduced livestock grazing pressure and contributed to dense scrub and young forest expansion, increasing exposure to catastrophic wildfire risk—amplified by closely planted pine and eucalyptus plantations. The average frequency of large fires in the valley is once every six years, and repeated burning can lock landscapes into fire-prone shrub cycles that limit recovery. Fragmented habitats threaten the Iberian wolf’s viability south of the Douro River, while the Iberian lynx remains absent. More than 100,000 ha of Natura 2000 land and ongoing conservation projects now provide the foundation for restoring natural processes, wildlife, and livelihoods through rewilding.
Highlights
Establishment of a 120,000-hectare Greater Côa Valley wildlife corridor connecting Douro and Malcata mountain ranges.
Rewilding with natural grazers: introduction of Tauros and Sorraia horses as "grazing fire brigades" to restore mosaic landscapes and reduce wildfire risk.
Wild Côa Network: 70+ members promoting rewilding-linked, nature-based enterprises.
LIFE WolFlux improving Iberian wolf coexistence and population connectivity; 117 community interviews held, and 108 livestock guardian dogs and 52 wolf-proof fences delivered to livestock owners; LupiLynx extending to lynx recovery.
Over 3,000 hectares now under rewilding-based management across key sites.
Growing nature tourism anchored by the 200 km Grand Route of the Côa Valley and local rewilding-friendly accommodations.
Discovery of griffon and black vulture colonies signalling positive biodiversity trends.
Roe deer comeback supported through habitat measures
Timeline
2014: Launch of the 200 km Grand Route of the Côa Valley.
2019: Creation of Rewilding Portugal; start of LIFE WolFlux project; Portugal transcribes changed European rules on carcass deposition into national law
2021: Launch of Wild Côa Network; discovery of vulture colonies in Serra da Malcata.
2023: First Tauros released; grazing restoration begins; 101st livestock guardian dog delivered; “CÔA – Corridor of Arts” festival draws thousands.
2024: Start of LIFE LupiLynx project supporting wolf and lynx conservation.
2025: First licensed carcass deposition begins in the Greater Côa Valley.
About the intervention
Rewilding Portugal’s work in the Greater Côa Valley focuses on restoring natural grazing systems, improving predator–prey balance, and creating a wildlife corridor across 120,000 ha. By coupling ecological restoration with business innovation and cultural revitalisation, the initiative reduces fire risk, enhances biodiversity, and builds a modern rural economy grounded in nature and community.
The intervention centred on creating a large, connected rewilding corridor in the Greater Côa Valley, linking the Malcata mountain range in the south with the Douro Valley in the north. Rewilding Europe worked with local partners to “shape” this corridor by securing strategically located core areas through land purchase and then improving connectivity between them via land-use agreements with landowners and hunting associations. These core areas were intended to function as stepping stones, with surrounding transition and buffer zones where land use continues in more sustainable, wildlife-friendly ways. By 2023, four strategically located rewilding sites had been secured, and rewilding-based management had been applied across more than 1,500 hectares on both sides of the Côa River; as well as 3,000 hectares under rewilding management in three key areas between the Douro River valley in the north and the Sierra Malcata in the south.
A key practical measure to restore natural processes and reduce wildfire risk was the reintroduction of natural grazing using wild/semi-wild herbivores (“grazing fire brigades”). This approach was chosen in response to land abandonment and declining livestock grazing, which had allowed dense scrub and young forest to proliferate, increasing susceptibility to catastrophic wildfires—exacerbated locally by closely planted pine and eucalyptus. The intervention involved releasing free-ranging herbivores to create more open, diverse mosaic habitats and firebreak-like open spaces. Two herds of Sorraia horses were released in the landscape, and in 2023 Tauros were released for the first time, with the herd expected to support the restoration of grassland and woodland habitats. The natural process leveraged is herbivory: grazing and browsing to maintain habitat heterogeneity, reduce fuel loads, and support broader species comeback.
To support coexistence with the Iberian wolf and reduce conflict risks linked to changing grazing patterns, preventative measures were implemented under the LIFE WolFlux scheme (started 2019). This included training livestock-guarding dogs from puppyhood and handing them over to local farmers; the programme reached 101 dogs delivered by 2023. In parallel, work to improve ecological connectivity and conditions for the fragmented wolf subpopulation south of the Douro was supported by LIFE WolFlux, with a further LIFE grant (LupiLynx) starting in 2024 to continue supporting wolves and promote the comeback of Iberian lynx. The intervention logic relies on restoring carnivory and scavenging dynamics as wolf numbers increase, influencing herbivore behaviour and vegetation through a “landscape of fear”, and increasing carrion availability for scavengers.
Alongside ecological measures, implementation included enabling local nature-based enterprise as a practical mechanism to underpin a rewilding-based economy and build local support. Rewilding Portugal established the Wild Côa Network (launched 2021) as an association of enterprises aligned around a shared vision for a wilder and more sustainable region; it grew to over 40 members. Rewilding Europe Capital supported entrepreneurs through loans and business advice, helping establish several nature-based tourism businesses (including Casa da Cisterna, Wildlife Portugal, Matreira and Miles Away). Practical steps mentioned include using a loan to complete an extension to Casa da Cisterna accommodation near Faia Brava, and presenting supported enterprises at tourism fairs as part of the network. Capacity-building for implementation included two nature guide trainings (16 candidates) to equip local people to deliver new tourism programmes. A 200 km signposted walking and horse-riding trail (the Côa Valley Grand Route) was launched in 2014 to channel visitors through rewilding sites, supporting the tourism offer.
The main implementation obstacles described were landscape-scale land abandonment (leading to scrub encroachment and fire risk), the presence of extensive pine and eucalyptus plantations increasing fire susceptibility, and the risk of overgrazing and wolf conflict associated with subsidy-driven cattle grazing on small plots. The project response combined land acquisition and agreements to assemble connected areas, the deployment of wild/semi-wild grazers to manage vegetation and fire risk through natural processes, and conflict-prevention measures (guard dogs and other preventative actions) to support coexistence with wolves while ecological connectivity is improved.
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New European Bauhaus compass
"1,2,3,2,1,2"
The transformation to the wetland mosaic is a secondary, but impactful, result of hydrological work.
It greatly enhances the scenic beauty and aesthetic value of the area.
The project ensured that marginalized groups were actively included in the planning phases.
Long-term ecological balance and climate resilience were the primary drivers.
Local communities were actively engaged in shaping the final design of the landscape.
Stakeholders from local, regional, and national governments collaborated on funding and execution.
Experts from ecology, urban planning, sociology, and economics worked together closely.
Introduction
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Key stakeholders
Rewilding Europe
Rewilding Portugal
Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme
LIFE WolFlux and LupiLynx project partners
Local municipalities and landowners
Hunting associations
Symington Family Estates
Wild Côa Network enterprises (>70 organizations)
Regional tourism boards
Local communities of the Côa Valley
Local livestock owners and extensive farmers
Financial metrics
Funding sources
Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme
LIFE WolFlux and LupiLynx EU grants
Rewilding Europe Capital (REC) loans
Partnerships with private sector (e.g., Symington Family Estates)
Budget Information not available
Outcomes
Environmental
Ecosystem processes: Rewilding transitions management from active farming and forestry to natural dynamics based on herbivory, carnivory, and scavenging.
Wild herbivore restoration: Tauros and Sorraia horses reintroduced; natural grazing re-establishes open habitats, reducing wildfire fuel loads.
Predator support: Portugal has around 250–300 Iberian wolves, with around 14% south of the Douro; LIFE WolFlux actions in and around the Greater Côa Valley support connectivity, ecological conditions, and coexistence for scattered packs in this more precarious subpopulation.
Prey base improvement: Roe deer support measures (permanent pastures, woodland regeneration, ponds) are associated with increased roe deer presence across restoration sites including Vale Carapito, Paúl de Toirões, and Ermo das Águias.
Scavenger process restoration: Griffon and black vulture colonies rediscovered; First licensed carcass deposition to benefiting griffon vultures and supporting rarer cinereous vultures.
Habitat connectivity: Core rewilding sites secured as “stepping stones” for species dispersal between mountain ranges.
Social
Community engagement: Wild Côa Network unites 70+ enterprises; Capacity-building included several training programmes in nature guiding, rewilding and hospitality, with around 70 participants.
Cultural initiatives: Art festival “CÔA – Corridor of Arts” integrates rewilding, culture, and local identity.
Public awareness: Rewilding symposiums, “Rewilding: A New Path for Nature in Portugal” documentary, Award-winning "Wilder Coa" documentary, Rewilding Photo Contest, and Rewild Podcast.
Coexistence support for livestock owners: 108 livestock guardian dogs and 52 wolf-proof fences provided to local livestock owners to reduce wolf-livestock conflict risk.
New facilities: Development of Rewilding Centre to showcase rewilding and host community events.
Economic
Revenue: ~€700,000 of revenues generated for local economies through WCN member support and rewilding-related tourism.
Enterprise growth: Five REC-supported nature-based businesses - Casa da Cisterna, Matreira, Wildlife Portugal, Flor Alta and Ambieduca - demonstrate viable rewilding-linked models.
Tourism development: Grand Route of the Côa Valley attracts >1,000 annual visitors; birdwatching, hides, and safaris drive local revenue.
Private-sector partnership: Collaboration with Symington Family Estates on “rewilding wine” to fund regional enterprise growth.
Employment: Expansion of guide training and rewilding-related jobs.
Cost reduction potential through carcass deposition: Legal carcass deposition reduces time and money spent by farmers who would otherwise be obliged to remove carcasses; it may also reduce public expenditure, as the Portuguese government subsidises carcass removal.
Risks and considerations
High share of human-caused fires, including negligence and pasture burning, means prevention depends on behaviour change and enforcement as well as ecological measures; this requires significant attention due to increased risk for catastrophic wildfires with ongoing climate change, particularly on abandoned rural land.
Wolf coexistence depends on sustained investment in prevention measures and effective, trusted compensation arrangements.
Sustained funding is required for land acquisition and community outreach.
Lessons learned
Natural grazing with large herbivores can mitigate catastrophic wildfire risk while boosting biodiversity.
Rural depopulation can be reversed by linking rewilding to cultural and economic renewal.
Collaboration among NGOs, local businesses, and private partners (e.g., wineries) can sustain rewilding finance.
Coexistence programmes (e.g., livestock guard dogs) are essential for predator acceptance and long-term viability.
Subsidy design should incentivise outcomes, not just activity: conventional livestock grazing supported by subsidies may not lower fire risk if managed in ways that avoid consuming woody, flammable vegetation; policy mechanisms can be aligned with demonstrable risk reduction rather than assuming grazing is inherently preventative.
Coexistence frameworks need reliable compensation and prevention funding to maintain social licence: local acceptance is conditional on swift compensation payments and practical damage prevention measures, indicating that administrative speed and inter-agency coordination are as important as on-the-ground interventions.
