Baião has had three applications approved, promoted by the Intermunicipal Community of Tâmega and Sousa (CIM-TS) for the “Village Condominiums” Programme, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), whose interventions will focus on the area surrounding the settlements. The beneficiary villages are: Lameirão (Gôve), 49 thousand euros; Almofrela (UF Campelo and Ovil), 26 thousand euros; and Calvos (UF Loivos da Ribeira and Tresouras), 47 thousand euros, for a total investment of around 122 thousand euros.
“This is excellent news, on the one hand, revealing our attention and dedication to attracting investment to Baião, on the other, it’s yet another project to enhance the territory, in line with the development policies we follow, within a framework of other local and regional actions aimed at preserving, promoting and developing Baião’s vast natural heritage and the quality of life of the people of Baião,” emphasised the mayor, Paulo Pereira.
This programme aims to change the occupation of the land around the settlements that are most susceptible to major rural fires, replacing high-danger forest occupation with more fire-resistant holdings, specifically agricultural holdings or improved pastures that promote grazing. The aim is to increase the preventive protection of settlements, buildings and people.
INVOLVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
The Village Condominiums initially intervene in properties in the surrounding area, clearing land and planting more resistant and native species. After this initial support guaranteed through this application, the owners must ensure the maintenance of the land by cleaning it up, and are simultaneously encouraged to promote active land use, generating income and consequently greater resilience to forest fires. This type of programme has a strong participatory component and involves the local community in favour of the sustainable socio-economic development of these settlements.
The presentation of the applications had already been unanimously approved by the Baião Municipal Commission for Integrated Rural Fire Management (CMGIFR) at a meeting held in April 2023, as part of the Municipal Operational Plan for Forest Fire Defence.
The aim of this government measure is to create 800 Village Condominiums throughout the country by 2025.
