NBS short description
In order to explore, value and promote its unique natural patrimony, and shift an industrial- backgrounded Municipality towards Nature, the Municipality of Estarreja created BioRia, a project focused on Nature Tourism and Environmental Education, under the motto “know it, to protect it” (loose translation). As a result of its privileged location, Estarreja holds a very important and diverse natural patrimony, grounded especially on one of the most important wetlands in northern Portugal - the Aveiro Lagoon. To value and promote this territory, the Municipality of Estarreja, under the flag of BioRia, established a network of eight trails, accompanied by visitation infraestructures and leisure and pedagogic equipment, all of which are accompanied by environmental education and awareness activities.
Relevance for the lighthouse
The NBS Environmental Education and Nature Tourism
Project transformed the global perspective of a Municipality,
while improving citizen well-being, environmental awareness,
and boosting tourism in the region, shifting a city outlook from the environmental impacts of its industry towards it’s natural patrimony. This shows the importance that a NBS can achieve at local and regional levels. Furthermore, the broad spectrum of activities and initiatives performed through the years in the scope of BioRia, as well as the experience with science-communication, may be relevant for the lighthouse
Geographic area
The Municipality of Estarreja has a population of 26 224, with a population density of 242.4 hab/km2. 63% of its population is between 15 and 64 yo, and 24% is over 65 yo. In 2011, 19% of the population had no level of education, and 4.2% was illiterate. 288 people were employed in primary economic activities, while 4 656 were employed in secondary economic activities and 6 088 in tertiary economic activities. 2.4% of the population in 2020 is of other nationalities, with legal resident status.
Governance of the case
The Municipality of Estarreja is the only entity responsible for this NBS implementation and governance. Other relevant actors include Parishes, landowners, farmers, livestock producers, hunters and fishermen, local businesses, NGO’s, Universities, among others. However, the participation of these entities in the project governance is carried out on an informal and sporadic basis.
Who owns the land?
The land adjacent to the BioRia trails is mostly private,
and smallholding dominates the territory,
Local partners, associations, initiatives and champions engaged
At the moment there are no oficial partners to the project,
but rather partners of specific initiatives or activities developed in the scope of BioRia. These vary from Universities to Environmental and Social NGO’s, Schools, local Parishes and Companies, among others.