Portugal among first EU states to submit nature restoration plan

Portugal submitted its draft National Nature Restoration Plan to the European Commission on 28 August, becoming the third EU member state to do so ahead of the 1 September deadline. The plan, coordinated by the ICNF with input from over 200 researchers and a public consultation that drew 184 contributions, sets out 386 measures covering terrestrial, coastal, freshwater and marine ecosystems. It follows pilot restoration projects in areas hit by disasters, such as Serra da Estrela and Peneda-Gerês. The Commission now has six months to review the draft, after which Portugal will have another six months to finalise and publish the definitive version.