Palombar

Palombar restores traditional dovecotes, or *pombais*, in Trás-os-Montes. These buildings grew out of local materials and rural craftsmanship. The association has already restored dozens of them and keeps them working, including every dovecote in the village of Uva, where it has its headquarters. Palombar (Associação de Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural) is a non-profit environmental organisation set up in 2000 and based in Uva, Vimioso, Bragança. Its mission is to conserve biodiversity and wild, forest and agricultural ecosystems. It also works to preserve the built rural heritage of Trás-os-Montes and the traditional construction techniques behind it. The dovecotes are one part of the work. Palombar also runs projects to protect rivers and streams and to support species threatened with extinction, such as the *sisão* and the *tartaranhão-caçador*. Other projects promote coexistence between livestock herders and wolves. The association pairs scientific research in ecology, conservation biology and ecosystem management with environmental education, community development and rural revitalisation. Some public activities come round regularly: the Festa dos Pombais, the Férias em Uva nature camps, and collaborative workshops and scientific work camps run under projects such as SerE+. Most of the work is in Trás-os-Montes, but Palombar has been gradually expanding its area of intervention across Portugal. Members, donors and volunteers support it. It encourages the public to join, contribute financially or take part in its educational and field activities. After 25 years, it's still growing, and its work links nature conservation with rural development and social inclusion.