The Municipality of Baião held another clarification session on the rehabilitation and enhancement of the river Ovil, on the 1st of August, this time at the headquarters of the Parish Council of Gôve, with the objective of clarifying the owners of riverside lands about the project, so that they feel sensitized and become involved in the process, through the transfer of land for the creation of a pedestrian path/ecological corridor along the entire watercourse.
“This is a project to enhance the county, the region and the country”, said the Mayor, Paulo Pereira, at the beginning of the session, alluding to the possibility of creating a geosite – in “Poço Negro” -, and appealing to the openness of the population to collaborate in the realization of the project, “which fits and reinforces the political strategy that we have to follow in the scope of the certification of Baião as a Sustainable Destination”. The mayor recalled that the municipality defined as one of the strategic objectives the requalification of the main water lines of the municipality, the river Ovil and the river Teixeira, two inland water courses, tributaries of the river Douro. “An ambitious goal, but one that we will achieve, confident of its importance for Baião and for improving the quality of life of the population we serve”.
“IT’S TIME TO LOOK AT NATURE AND TAKE CARE OF THE COMMON GOOD”
The author of the Ovil River Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project, Pedro Teiga, a doctor in environmental engineering and a specialist in the rehabilitation of rivers and streams, contextualized the entire project, referring to the needs for its implementation, underlining the advantages that will result from the preservation of the river, namely the control of invasive plants/trees and the safeguarding and planting of native species that harmonize with the water course, contributing to its enhancement.
Pedro Teiga referred that the project will allow the continuity of agricultural production, stating that the water course, rehabilitated and valued, will be an added value for the population. “It is time to look at Nature and take care of the common good”.
“BAIÃO IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE GOALS OF SUSTAINABILITY”
Artur Sá, geologist at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro – UTAD, referring to the need to preserve and enhance natural resources, underlined the work and sensitivity that Baião has shown with regard to issues related to nature and with the environment, highlighting the contribution to “achieving the sustainability goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, which should be seen as an example”.
Emmaline Gonzalez, Mexican geologist and researcher at UTAD, also intervened in the session, who listed the characteristics of the Ovil river, maintaining that its potential will allow the creation of a differentiating tourist offer, promoting local commerce, playing an important role in education for sustainability, counting on with public involvement.
At the end of the session there was an opportunity for debate and clarification of doubts presented by the owners, in a full room, a clear sign of the interest that the subject raises.
In addition to the speakers and landowners on the banks of the Ovil river, the President of the Municipal Assembly of Baião, Armando Fonseca, the Vice-president, Filipe Fonseca, the councilors José Lima and Paulo Portela, the President of Gôve, Paulo Eurico , members of the Green Team – the team responsible for certifying Baião as a sustainable tourist destination -, among other stakeholders.
ABOUT THE REHABILITATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE OVIL RIVER
The global path studied is about 16 km long, from the source, next to the Aboboreira and Matos mountains, to the mouth of the Douro river.
Execution projects for two sections have already been drawn up.
First phase: Foz Section – with an approximate length of 2.5 km between Ponte Nova (Ancede) and Foz do Ovil (Ribadouro), a project that is in progress and was awarded for 157 thousand euros, financed by the Portuguese Environment and by the Municipality of Baião.
Second phase: Upstream Section – With a length of about 2.5 km, from the picnic park in Outoreça (Ovil) to the bridge on Rua de Covelo (Campelo), a contract awarded for 231,937.00 euros that will start shortly.
