The event was attended by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, the signing of protocols between the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the municipalities of Seia, Oliveira do Hospital, Tábua, and Penalva do Castelo, and the inauguration of the exhibition “Water Resources: history, society, and knowledge”.
The mayor of Seia, Luciano Ribeiro, presented the protocol with APA as the start of a journey to return the Cobral River to the communities, highlighting the importance of Serra da Estrela as a water reservoir and advocating for greater equity in water tariffs and financing mechanisms adjusted for very low-density territories.
The agreements with the municipalities of Seia and Oliveira do Hospital foresee the recovery of approximately 20 kilometers of the Cobral River's riverbed, with funding of up to 270,000 euros for the intervention in Seia, aiming to enhance the banks, control invasive species, and restore native vegetation.
The president of APA's Board of Directors, Pimenta Machado, emphasized the need to care for rivers and streams with nature-based solutions, while APA Board member Inês Andrade presented the exhibition showcasing the evolution of means and knowledge associated with water management.
Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho stressed that water is the government's top priority, highlighting the importance of protocols and initiatives for ecosystem recovery and nature restoration, and mentioned that the Girabolhos dam is currently out to tender.
