Recovery of Cresmina Dune

The process covers an area of 66 hectares and is aimed at restoring and protecting a unique natural system in the municipality as it is a unique area of integral reserve of the Parque Natural Sintra - Cascais (Sintra-Cascais Natural Park).

By having this status, the Cresmina-Guincho Dune System is an area of maximum protection. The works are therefore designed to organise pedestrian access and implement recovery actions of the local flora and fauna which has been destroyed because of human action (e.g. trampling, horse riding and the passing of 4x4 vehicles).

To organise pedestrian access to the Dune, raised walkways were installed to the side of the area of total protection and with observation platforms where visitors can stop and observe. In order to prevent the entry of vehicles, the south fence will be permanent, thereby stopping the constant destruction of native species, such as Thrift (Armeria welwitschii) or Phoenicean Juniper (Juniperus turbinata).

Recovery actions of the local vegetation were also implemented, namely through the removal of invasive alien species (such as ice plant - Carpobrotus edulis), and the planting of native species (such as European marram grass - Ammophila arenaria).

The works include the installation of natural regenerators, made using the palisades of dead plant material. The placement of these structures is crucial to reduce the wind speed in the region and therefore contain the spreading of the sand, which has been uncontrolled (since 2005, the Dune has advanced approximately ten metres per year).
The restoration process of the local flora and fauna will be monitored over two years so as to evaluate whether the measures implemented are having any effect of the integral recuperation of the Dune System.