The Coordination Commission for Regional Development of Alentejo (CCDR Alentejo) presented at Quinta da Malagueira, in Évora, the ENA project – Alentejo Nature Space, an initiative that aims to create a regional space dedicated to environmental education, nature interpretation, biodiversity enhancement and community participation. The session was attended by the president of CCDR Alentejo, Ricardo Pinheiro, the vice-president Sónia Ramos, responsible for presenting the project, and representatives of various partner entities, including the president of Évora City Council, Carlos Zorrinho, and the Union of Parishes of Malagueira and Horta das Figueiras.
Quinta da Malagueira, with about six hectares, is considered by CCDR Alentejo particularly suitable for the project, due to its environmental, landscape and heritage characteristics. The outdoor area includes forests, woodlands, lakes and other natural elements, as well as historical heritage associated with the creation of gardens and green spaces. The ENA concept is based on three fundamental axes — welcome, experience and participate — and includes a reception room, interpretive spaces, outdoor educational stations and trails dedicated to themes such as the Mediterranean woodland, birds, pollinators, geology, notable trees and natural habitats of the region.
The first phase of the project should prioritize the schools closest to Quinta da Malagueira, placing environmental education at the center of the initiative. The start will begin with cleaning of the outdoor space, especially the trails and paths, to ensure circulation and safety conditions. Implementation will be phased and dependent on funding opportunities, starting with visits and activities with schools, followed by the progressive expansion of services aimed at the community and research. CCDR also intends to involve associations, school clusters and other groups through volunteering initiatives.
The project is being developed in coordination with the University of Évora, the Municipality of Évora, Évora_27, the League for the Protection of Nature and educational and associative organizations in the region. Quinta da Malagueira is associated with the Malagueira neighborhood, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027, the year when Évora will be the European Capital of Culture. Sónia Ramos argued that ENA could contribute to the creation of a green corridor in the city and admitted that the space could evolve to functions associated with a climate refuge, stating that this is a very ambitious project that may become international.
