Quercus – Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza

Quercus – Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza is a Portuguese non-governmental environmental organisation (ONGA) founded on 31 October 1985 in Braga. It is an independent, non-partisan, nationwide, non-profit association formed by citizens united by a shared interest in nature conservation, natural resource protection, and environmental defence, within a framework of sustainable development. Headquartered in Lisbon's Monsanto Forest Park, Quercus operates through a network of regional branches spanning mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores, each engaging local communities in conservation work. The association runs a wide portfolio of national and European-funded projects (LIFE+, ERASMUS+, Interreg, H2020, POSEUR) addressing forest restoration, cork oak montado protection, pollinator support, seed saving, bird and wildlife protection along power lines, water quality, and sustainable agriculture. It also operates Wildlife Recovery Centres (CRAS), such as the one in Castelo Branco, which rescue and rehabilitate injured wild animals. Quercus is a vocal advocate on environmental policy, regularly issuing public statements against projects threatening water resources, biodiversity or air quality, and campaigning on issues such as banning glyphosate, opposing GMOs, protecting pollinators, and phasing out single-use materials. Environmental education is a core pillar of the organisation's work, with school programmes, public campaigns, and citizen science initiatives engaging thousands of participants annually. Quercus relies on membership fees, donations, volunteers, and partnerships with public and private entities to sustain its nationwide activity, and continues to expand its reach through regional cores and thematic campaigns addressing forests, water, wildlife and the circular economy.