Portugal has suffered year after year from the devastation caused by forest fires, a growing environmental challenge due not only to climate change and the resulting temperature rise but also to the lack of a diverse forest landscape. These factors, combined with human action and the lack of proper forest management, have destroyed thousands of hectares of forest, affecting ecosystems, the communities that depend on them and our quality of life. It's in our hands to help reverse this situation, and we must act now to protect the future of green areas.

Initiatives such as “Plantar o Futuro” (Plant the Future) are critical in this context, where the restoration and protection of native forests are increasingly urgent. A significant step was taken on 30 October, when 754 native trees were handed over for adoption to members of the academic community at the University of Aveiro (UA), including students, teachers, researchers and staff, along with people from outside the UA. The trees that were distributed were the galician oak (Quercus orocantabrica), the hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), the cork oak (Quercus suber), the holly (Ilex aquifolium) and the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo). This wouldn't have been possible without the help of Faina Académica and the  UA  Academic Association in mobilising participants. We also had the help of the Comissão de Faina de Biologia and the Biology Student Center-AUAv in transporting and delivering the trees.

The goal is for participants to look after their tree for a few months, learning more about the species and how to look after them properly, with the support of a digital guide and a helpline. Following that, each participant will have the opportunity to plant their own tree. The combination of different native species throughout the Portuguese landscape will contribute to an increase in biodiversity and will also help to reduce the intensity and spread of possible fires by creating natural barriers that are more resistant to fire. As if that weren't reason enough, when planted correctly, trees can provide various ecosystem services: capturing carbon dioxide, improving air quality by filtering atmospheric pollutants, promoting biodiversity, preventing soil erosion, reducing the risk of flooding, and more. 

“Plantar o Futuro” is organized by Agora Aveiro in collaboration with the  University of Aveiro and Municipality of Estarreja. It counts with Glicínias Plaza as "Main Partner", RODI Industries and Caetano Auto as "Golden Partners" and SIRO - Substratos Profissionais and Casa Martelo as "Silver Partners". It is carried out in partnership with the Comissão de Faina de Biologia, the Department of Biology of the University of Aveiro, the Biology Students Association, Faina Académica, Academic Association of the University of Aveiro and the Erasmus Student Network Aveiro. It also has the support of the Municipality of Aveiro, the Portuguese Institute for Sports and Youth - IPD, I.P. and the European Solidarity Corps.