Good morning. Today brings wolves revealed by a single tooth, swifts finding new allies, and plenty of quiet progress from farms, towns and coastlines around the country.
The Algarve, more commonly associated with beaches and golf, has been recognised for its birdwatching offer, being named a top destination for the activity. The recognition highlights the region's lesser-known natural assets alongside its established tourism draws.
Tavira's municipal council will hold an event on 27 September at the Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo market focused on the environmental and landscape value of the Barrocais area. University of Algarve landscape architecture students will present a year-long study proposing measures to protect and enhance the territory, which will be formally handed to the municipality. The morning includes presentations by a biologist and local officials, followed by a guided bus tour of the Barrocais. The students' work will later be shown at Tavira's Mercado da Ribeira for wider public exposure.
The municipality of Lagoa will hold its third underwater clean-up at Praia Grande de Ferragudo on 26 September at 9am, as part of the international Coastal Clean-up Day. Volunteers will remove waste from the seabed to help protect the marine ecosystem, while raising public awareness about marine litter. The event forms part of Lagoa's 2026 Coastal Clean-up Day programme and is linked to the Blue Flag scheme. It involves several partner organisations, including ICNF, CCMAR, Fundação Oceano Azul, the National Maritime Authority and local diving and environmental associations.
A new facility called b.again, owned by the dst group, has started operating in Braga as Portugal's first plant dedicated to recycling lithium batteries, with capacity to process up to 7,000 tonnes of material a year. Using dry mechanical shredding at low temperature, it recovers over 95% of materials, producing 'black mass' from which lithium, graphite, cobalt and nickel are later extracted at refineries in France. Recycling began in March, with about 500 tonnes already processed. The plant employs 23 people and works with Electrão, which handles nationwide collection and transport.
BB&G, controlled by the Azevedo family holding Efanor, has started operations at a pilot tyre recycling plant in Ourém, with capacity to recover about 1,500 tonnes a year of rubber granulate from used tyres. The company, which partners with Bridgestone and Versalis, is also building a larger industrial-scale plant in Tremês, Santarém, worth around €90 million, granted PIN status, expected to become operational in 2029 with capacity for roughly 30,000 tonnes a year. The proprietary technology converts end-of-life tyres into secondary raw materials for new tyre manufacturing, and BB&G plans further expansion abroad.
The 11th edition of Homeing, a design, hotel and home living fair, returns to Lisbon's Pavilhão Carlos Lopes from 24 to 26 September under the theme 'Feel Balance'. The event will address biophilic design, an approach linking interior spaces to nature through plants, light, water and organic materials, seen as a response to heatwaves affecting cities like Lisbon. Close to seventy exhibiting companies will take part, alongside a conference programme covering topics such as lighting design, wood as a sensory material, and luxury in interior spaces. Most visitors are expected to be Portuguese professionals, though registrations have come from over twenty countries.
The Ílhavo municipal council has presented a strategy to encourage greater everyday use of bicycles as a means of transport. Mayor Rui Dias outlined the plan during a session on cycling mobility that closed the European Mobility Week. The approach focuses on expanding the cycle network, improving road safety for cyclists and better linking bicycle use with public transport services.
At a UN climate event in New York, Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro criticised what he called the 'absurd and senseless' rise in fuel prices, arguing for greater strategic energy autonomy. He said Portugal will double its installed renewable energy capacity, reach 2 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by the same year, potentially reaching carbon neutrality ahead of the 2050 target. He also announced Portugal will contribute €75 million to the 'Ocean Eye' ocean protection project and highlighted debt-for-climate investment schemes with Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe.
The Torres Novas municipal council awarded a new three-year waste collection and urban cleaning contract worth around €4 million to SUMA, despite the mayor's own criticism of the company's current service. José Trincão Marques said he had complaints about the service provided so far but pledged close monitoring under the new deal, which follows an international public tender won on lowest price. Two PSD councillors and an independent abstained, citing unresolved problems with bulky waste collection. The contract takes effect in January 2027, pending Court of Auditors review, replacing an arrangement dating back to 2016.
Almada and Seixal municipalities, in Setúbal district, will sign an agreement in early October to license a water borehole known as CBR2, located in Seixal, aimed at easing Almada's water supply problems in the short term. Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho announced the plan while signing a separate agreement between Almada and EPAL to study a more resilient water system, following months of supply failures in Almada, especially in Costa da Caparica, between July and August. Two further long-term measures are also being studied, including a pipeline link from Lisbon and a project from the Castelo de Bode dam.
Águas do Tejo Atlântico will hold the 10th edition of its "Caminho da Inovação" conference on 1 October at the Fábrica de Água de Alcântara in Lisbon, under the theme "The Future of Water is Not Obvious". The event will discuss challenges facing the water sector amid climate change, growing pressure on water resources and technological change. Topics include resilience of infrastructure to extreme weather, digital transformation, artificial intelligence in decision-making, and cybersecurity. National and international experts will share knowledge and examples of applied solutions throughout the day. Registration and programme details are available on the utility's website.
IFAP has published guidance on how eligible communal grazing land (baldio) area is determined under the 2026 Single Application. Eligibility depends on the beneficiary's livestock numbers and compliance with a minimum stocking rate of 0.2 Normal Heads (CN) per hectare, meaning one CN can justify up to five hectares of baldio. Animal numbers are converted into CN using species- and age-based conversion factors. An explanatory document detailing the calculation method has been made available on IFAP's portal, alongside the relevant legislation.
Low profitability remains the main barrier to farmers adopting legumes in Portugal and Europe, after decades of underinvestment in these crops, says Carlota Vaz Patto, a researcher at ITQB NOVA and newly elected president of the International Legume Society. She argues that recovery requires more productive, resilient varieties, updated agronomic practices, stronger technical support, industrial processing capacity, and more stable markets. Vaz Patto has become the first Portuguese researcher to lead the international body.
Agricentro, part of Grupo Agris, now operates more than 65 stores in Portugal and is moving into a new growth phase. The retail chain is pursuing an integrated commerce model that combines independent retailers' autonomy with the strength of a national network. Further details on the strategy and challenges facing the business are covered in an interview published in Voz do Campo's October 2026 edition, available to subscribers.
A feature in the October 2026 issue of Voz do Campo magazine describes how the farm Maio Verde grows blueberries while using 32% less water than conventional methods. The crop is described as particularly demanding, with sensitive roots and a delicate nutritional balance where irrigation timing is critical. The full details of the techniques used are available only to magazine subscribers.
A project called SIAMESE, promoted by a consortium including DEIFIL, IPB, MORE CoLAB and CNCFS, aims to make Portuguese almond growing more sustainable by producing more with fewer resources. It combines five interlinked lines of research and development, with part of the work focused on recovering and adding value to traditional almond varieties through biotechnology. Further details of the project are published in Revista Voz do Campo's October 2026 edition.
A feature on winemaker Soalheiro describes how sustainability underpins its approach to viticulture, from detailed knowledge of each vineyard plot to harvests timed according to grape ripening. The piece frames the winery's practices as a blend of tradition, innovation and social and territorial responsibility, positioning Soalheiro as a reference point in Portuguese wine production. The full report is published in the October 2026 issue of Revista Voz do Campo, available to subscribers.
The October 2026 issue of Revista Voz do Campo features an article by Cristina Amaro da Costa and Ana Luísa Amaral, researchers linked to CERNAS and the Escola Superior Agrária de Viseu, part of the Instituto Politécnico de Viseu. The piece discusses crop protection as essential to productivity and quality in vegetable production, while stressing the need to reduce risks to farmers, consumers and the environment. The full content is only available to subscribers of the magazine.
A gardening guide from Voz do Campo magazine outlines the core principles of regenerative agriculture for home vegetable gardens. It urges readers to treat soil as a living organism rather than mere plant support, highlighting the role of earthworms, fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms in soil structure, nutrient cycling and water retention. Recommended practices include minimising soil disturbance, keeping ground covered, increasing plant diversity and returning organic matter to the land. The full guide, including advice on avoiding bare soil after harvest, is available in the magazine's October 2026 issue for subscribers.
EPAL will hold a free programme of activities on 26 September, from 10am to 6:30pm, at the Jardim de Campo de Ourique in Lisbon, to mark National Sustainability Day. The day includes a circular economy fair, a textile-reuse workshop, storytelling, environmental film screenings from the CineEco Seia festival, water and environment games, and a closing concert by band SecAdegas. The event aims to raise public awareness of sustainability, water conservation and active citizenship, and forms part of EPAL's contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Turismo do Algarve is marking World Tourism Day, celebrated on 27 September, with a series of initiatives across the region between 24 September and early October, focused on nature, wine, culture, wellness and innovation. Highlights include the Algarve Nature Fest expanding to all five Ria Formosa municipalities, a wine tasting at Faro Airport, extended hours at tourist offices, and the launch of the Make In Algarve digital platform showcasing around 50 cultural and creative tourism experiences. Other events include a spa innovation tour, an honorary doctorate at the University of Algarve, and local activities in Portimão, Faro, Alcoutim, Silves and Tavira.
On 24 September, the Mina de São Domingos, in the municipality of Mértola, hosts the premiere of "OLVIDAR", a performance blending theatre, photography, video and music, staged outdoors at the Musical building as part of the Festival Art Non Stop. Created by Ana Luena and José Miguel Soares with the Malvada and Companhia Cepa Torta groups, the piece draws on interviews, testimonies and images gathered during an artist residency in the village since 5 September, with local residents and the Grupo Coral da Mina de São Domingos taking part. Built around a fictional vanished village, the show explores what depopulation and the loss of services mean for real interior territories.
In Gração, part of the São Jorge e Ermelo parish union in Arcos de Valdevez, a group of people has taken up goat herding to revive a tradition that once defined the area, which historically hosted thousands of goats and the communal vezeira grazing system. Their initiative has produced a new brand, "O Cabrito de Gração", aimed at promoting quality goat meat while giving herding fresh economic relevance. The project also links grazing to wildfire prevention, since goats help clear vegetation and reduce fuel loads, and to growing agrotourism opportunities tied to nature and local traditions.
AJAP, the young farmers' association, and CAPRIMIRA, representing breeders of the Charnequeira goat, signed a collaboration protocol to support farmers and livestock producers in Odemira. It will expand technical services such as agricultural applications, land registration, animal registration, investment project support and training. The deal particularly targets the council's inland areas, where depopulation, an ageing population and low investment contrast with the coastal strip's strong berry farming. Officials say the partnership aims to boost pastoral farming as both an economic activity and a tool for vegetation management and wildfire risk reduction, while helping preserve the native Charnequeira breed.
The FoodConnect platform, part of the European LIFE FoodConnect project, has launched in Portugal to help restaurants, cafés, hotels, municipalities and producers donate surplus food that remains fit for consumption. Donors register available items, quantities and collection times, while organisations supporting vulnerable people and individuals can reserve food nearby, collecting it anonymously via a unique code. The association ZERO notes that each person in Portugal wastes an average of 184 kg of food yearly, above the EU average of 129 kg, and recalls that Portuguese law already requires businesses to prevent food waste where safe disposal alternatives exist.
A study by ISAMB/FMUL and the Portuguese Association Against Childhood Obesity (APCOI) found significant improvements in eating habits among pupils taking part in the 'Heróis da Fruta' project across schools in Viana do Castelo district during 2024/2025. Daily healthy snacking rose from 72.1% to 86.7%, while daily fruit and vegetable consumption increased from 81.4% to 88.8%. Nearly half of pupils tried a new fruit or vegetable for the first time. The findings were presented in September at APCOI's first Heróis da Fruta conference in Lisbon, marking the organisation's 15th anniversary, with the free programme open to schools nationwide.
On Car Free Day, 31 children aged six to 14 from Póvoa de Varzim swapped car journeys for a bicycle 'train' to school, organised as part of European Mobility Week. The ride began at Praça do Almada, with stops along the way allowing more children to join, and was escorted by the Municipal Police on bicycles for safety. The council said the event aimed to show, in a practical and fun way, that alternatives to the car exist for daily journeys, encouraging sustainable habits from an early age. The activity closed this year's Mobility Week, themed 'Mobility for All'.
A short read every morning — what's happening across sustainable Portugal.
