Baldios group calls for multi-year fund for common-land forests

Baldios de Portugal, an association representing Portugal's communal land holders, is calling for a dedicated multi-year funding line to support not only initial forest restoration but ongoing maintenance and management of baldios. The proposal follows the FAO's State of the World's Forests 2026 report, which found over 460 million hectares of degraded forest worldwide and annual deforestation averaging 10.9 million hectares between 2015 and 2025. The association argues local communities must have real decision-making power, secure land rights and a fair share of benefits, including payment for ecosystem services and climate mitigation contributions, rather than being treated merely as recipients of public policy.