The heaviest bird in Portuguese skies
The great bustard is the heaviest flying bird in Portugal, majestic and famously hard to spot in the wild. Without proper protection measures, the species risks disappearing altogether.
Pulse
14 August 2026
Good morning. Today the wild side of Portugal takes the lead — a heavy bird, a night-flying moth and a lithium mine that keeps dividing a valley — before we settle into markets, mid-August fairs and one wooden lunchbox that goes straight into the oven.
Barroso lithium: agreement or misunderstanding?
Savannah Resources says new agreements with communal land organisations secure land access and give communities a say in decisions and benefits. Campaigners counter that individual signatures are being presented as collective consent, with protests continuing ahead of a construction start expected in 2027.
Azores suspend pigeon hunting after Newcastle disease
After detecting the Newcastle disease virus in wild birds, the Azorean government banned rock pigeon hunting and poultry fairs for an indefinite period. Authorities advise care when handling birds and ask that unusual mortality be reported.
Madeira clears the ground before the fires
Forest firefighters are stepping up fuel management through August, concentrating on Paul da Serra and the hills above Funchal. Around 45 hectares have been treated so far this year, alongside invasive species control, buffer zones, surveillance and training.
Readers report murky water near Clube Naval
Readers described an alleged wastewater discharge near the Clube Naval do Funchal, one of them noticing a patch of dirty water while swimming and a strong smell along the Estrada Monumental the following day. The account has not been confirmed by official sources.
750 euros a day for three overdue conservation areas
Portugal is paying around 750 euros a day for each of the three Special Areas of Conservation still unregulated — Serra da Estrela, Sado and Alvito/Cuba — following a March ruling by the EU Court of Justice. The Government says it has sped up the process and expects to complete all 61 areas this year.
Funding for municipal climate refuges
Turismo de Portugal has opened a competition for municipalities wanting to requalify and cool their infrastructures, creating climate refuges. Environmental groups welcomed the move while noting that Portugal remains well behind Spain on this front.
Marinha Grande wants renewables capped at 1%
The council proposes restricting renewable acceleration zones to 187.25 hectares, or 1% of its territory, dedicated to solar, and asks for the remaining planned areas to be excluded. It argues that many of them clash with easements, industrial and urban zones and environmental protection areas.
A 34-million-euro sorting plant for Alto Alentejo
VALNOR will invest 34 million euros in a new sorting unit at the CIVTRS site in Avis, Portalegre district, to handle plastics and metals from the yellow bin. The works include industrial buildings and sorting lines, with bids open until 9 December 2026.
Funchal to revise its social housing rules
The Funchal council unanimously approved a proposal by councillor Rui Caetano to update the social housing allocation rules, unchanged since 2017. He also pressed for action on clearing private land at fire risk and on irregular parking by tourism and rent-a-car firms.
Renewables put Portugal on the data centre map
A JLL report points to renewable energy, submarine cable connectivity and regulatory change as reasons Portugal is drawing European interest in AI infrastructure. It also flags challenges around skilled jobs, the domestic supply chain and environmental transparency.
Listening to the orchards of Pêra Rocha
Researchers at FCUP, within the European BiomeHealth project, are installing microorganism traps in Oeste orchards to catch pear diseases early. Crossing biological data with climate factors, they hope to forecast risks such as fire blight and stemphylium and to use crop protection more sparingly.
A wooden box that goes into the oven
Freshwood, based in Vieira de Leiria, has developed ONLII, presented as the only food packaging made entirely of wood, without glue or staples. It travels from freezer to air fryer or oven, and the company now employs around 60 people.
850 investors in a single day for sustainable clothing
The Portuguese impact investment platform Goparity raised 150,000 euros in 24 hours from 854 investors to back Spanish sustainable fashion brand Sepiia. The money funds the autumn/winter 2026 collection, a Madrid space for second-hand and surplus pieces, and seven new jobs.
Faro looking for social and environmental projects
Farol, the social innovation incubator in Faro, has opened a second call until 6 September for ideas with social or environmental impact in the municipality. Those selected join incubation or acceleration programmes with training and mentoring.
The caterpillar from Orbacém
A reader photographed a caterpillar in Orbacém, Caminha, and asked Wilder for help. The night butterfly network identified it as the lime hawk-moth, Mimas tiliae, which feeds on lime tree leaves and flies mostly in spring.
Seven tonnes of old electronics from Madeira's schools
Schools in Madeira gathered more than seven tonnes of batteries, electrical equipment and lamps during the 15th Escola Electrão campaign. They will share 2,100 euros in prizes, part of a nationwide effort involving 720 schools.
Learning labs for children in the Algarve
AlgarveShopping hosts the first Labs Geração Futuro in southern Portugal on 15 and 16 August, free and without registration, for children aged five to twelve. Sessions cover bullying, mental health, first aid and inclusion, part of a tour of 13 shopping centres with around 150 volunteers.
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