Ecovias do Ave, Selho and Vizela already have routes in four parishes
The Ecovias along the banks of the Ave, Selho and Vizela rivers are projects – still in progress – that are structural and that make it possible to admire, value and protect natural heritage of cultural and landscape interest.
The aim is for these routes to be sustainable in their management, supported by great environmental enhancement and protection of ecosystems, while promoting nature walks and other activities that can be carried out in this context, thus creating the first linear park in the municipality of Guimarães.
All the proposed interventions follow the guidelines of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), and are carried out with the authorization of the Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N) and the Regional Entity of the National Agricultural Reserve.
The work has already been carried out in four parishes in the municipality, namely Brito, Caldelas, Barco and Pencelo. The creation of these trails is only possible with the indispensable collaboration of private landowners, who have given up their strip of land close to the water line.
The technicians from the Landscape Laboratory have been working closely with the mayors of the parishes involved and have been monitoring the work on site, which is and will continue to be carried out over the coming months.
Alongside the Ecovias do Ave, Selho e Vizela project, there is funding for REACTivar Guimarães: Renaturalization of the green corridors of the Ave, Selho and Vizela rivers, which aims to recover the riverbanks by clearing invasive and weed vegetation, applying natural engineering techniques – in areas most susceptible to erosion – and planting riparian species to reinforce the green infrastructure.
Despite being separate projects, the work has been carried out simultaneously, allowing for good management of the funds invested and the protection of the riparian ecosystem from excessive human intervention.