LPN – Liga para a Protecção da Natureza

Founded in 1948 by Professor Carlos Manuel Baeta Neves, LPN – Liga para a Protecção da Natureza is a national, non-profit environmental NGO and the oldest association of its kind in the Iberian Peninsula. Headquartered in Lisbon, at a property donated by the Freire de Andrade family in 1976, LPN also hosts an Environmental Training Center and a Center for Studies and Special Activities. The organisation runs long-term conservation projects, many under the EU LIFE programme, focused on threatened bird species (such as the Montagu's harrier and the great bustard), safer power lines for birds, and the protection of sensitive habitats such as the Peneda-Gerês National Park and the Alentejo steppe. Its Vale Gonçalinho Environmental Education Center in Castro Verde serves as a living outdoor laboratory, hosting summer science programmes and guided experiences for families and schools. LPN is licensed by Turismo de Portugal as a Nature Tourism operator, and it is a member of international networks including IUCN, the European Environmental Bureau, and Civil Society Europe. Beyond fieldwork, LPN advocates publicly for environmental protection—recent campaigns include petitions defending nature policy at EU level and opposition to routes for major sporting events crossing protected areas. The organisation depends on membership fees, volunteer support, donations, and project funding, and actively invites citizens to become associates, volunteer, or support its campaigns. With over seven decades of activity, LPN combines scientific rigor with grassroots citizen engagement to protect Portugal's natural heritage, species diversity, and ecosystems for future generations.