Lidl Portugal is the driving partner for this first phase.
With the aim of restoring nature and promoting the well-being of communities, the Re-Store Portugal initiative focuses on ecological regeneration as a way to conserve habitats and species, generate prosperity and strengthen the resilience of territories. With on-the-ground actions and monitoring planned until 2030, the project combines science, local action and collective commitment, inviting the whole of society to participate in the reconstruction of national ecosystems.
According to Ângela Morgado, Executive Director of WWF Portugal, “Restoring nature is reinforcing the country’s natural infrastructure – the one that silently sustains our economy, public health and collective well-being.” Based on a comprehensive study, WWF Portugal has identified nine priority areas: Peneda-Gerês National Park, Ria de Aveiro, Serra da Estrela, Serras de Aire and Candeeiros, Tagus River, Tagus Estuary, Guadiana Valley, Serra do Caldeirão and Ria Formosa.
The initiative was presented in Almada, next to the Tagus Estuary, one of the three areas where work will begin, along with Serra do Caldeirão and Gerês, chosen to guarantee impact and sustainability.
Lidl: driving partner for the first phase
Lidl Portugal has been a strategic partner since the start of the project, financing the feasibility study, the construction of the digital platform (where anyone can “buy the future” by adding restoration actions to their virtual cart) and the launch of the campaign with around 100 thousand euros.
According to Vanessa Romeu, Director of Corporate Affairs at Lidl Portugal, “in the year in which we celebrate our 30th anniversary in Portugal, we are proud to be associated with such an important initiative for the recovery of ecosystems, alongside the communities in which we operate. Our support for Re-Store Portugal reflects our conviction that the commitment to sustainability is truly worth it, translating into a promise of added value for society and the environment. We are proud to have participated in this project since the beginning, having financed the study and creation of the digital platform. By making the solidarity bags available in store, we were able to take this support even further, with the support of our customers, which will allow us to start restoring 30 hectares in Serra do Gerês”, he adds.
For Ângela Morgado, “Lidl’s commitment is an example for other organizations to follow. We need to move from words to actions and restore nature without hesitation. Counting on Lidl in this initiative is very important and transformative.”