Milvoz – Associação de Proteção e Conservação da Natureza

Milvoz – Associação de Proteção e Conservação da Natureza was founded in 2019 and is based in Assafarge, Coimbra. It works across the Região Centro, an area shaped by degraded habitats and extensive forestry monoculture, to protect what remains of native forest and the species that depend on it. The association manages a network of five Bio-Reservas: Senhora da Alegria, da Morena, Integral Vale da Aveleira, Serra da Pescaria and do Bispo. At Senhora da Alegria, volunteers have built and installed 15 nest boxes and worked with Mossy Earth on a pilot project testing methods to control the invasive Acacia dealbata. A protocol with Boavista Sun Cernache protects 70 hectares of Mediterranean forest in the Serra da Lousã from the impacts of a nearby photovoltaic park. In 2025, a fire destroyed the Vale da Aveleira reserve, a 75-hectare stretch of centuries-old forest, and Milvoz is now raising funds through the campaign Renascer das Cinzas to fund its post-fire restoration. Beyond fieldwork, Milvoz reports illegal eucalyptus plantations to the authorities, runs guided walks and birdwatching activities (including with SPEA and BirdLife's EuroBirdwatch), and takes part in environmental education programmes with schools and researchers, including CIVG and CERVAS. Its governing bodies include an elected Mesa da Assembleia Geral, led by Sérgio Forte, and a Conselho Fiscal chaired by João Freire. Membership starts at €20 a year, and the association also welcomes volunteers, donors and business partners. All donations are directed to fieldwork and to sustaining the association's operations.