Mata de Vilar is one of the most symbolic green spaces in Vila de Lousada. It covers an area of 14 hectares, which is the largest part of indigenous forest in the municipality. The forest is a unique place for all the memories that connect it to the community and go back more than a century of stories. In 2018, the Vilar Integra project was born – Integral retraining of the Vilar forest: from tourist pleasure to sustainability, promoted by the municipality of Lousada and with the support of Turismo de Portugal. With the aim of informing and raising public awareness and strengthening the connection between the local landscape and the local community, they also carry out intergenerational activities, among other things. Elderly people and children together planted 80 indigenous shrubs.
Photo: Diego Alves