Former mining site becomes wetland haven in Côa valley

Four years after Rewilding Portugal and Mossy Earth began restoring hydrological processes at the former Paul de Toirões mining site in the Grande Vale do Côa, water surface area has grown 87.3% compared with 2020, reaching 40,743 square metres by April 2026. By slowing drainage and rebuilding natural barriers with local materials and native vegetation, the project let water linger across the landscape, allowing wetland habitats, temporary Mediterranean pools and a wide range of species — frogs, terrapins, otters, black storks and birds of prey — to establish themselves. The organisations say the site is still early in its ecological recovery, with plans to reintroduce large herbivores and boost rabbit populations to support predators.