Vila Nova de Famalicão Town Hall wants to enhance the area surrounding Penedo da Lua, located on Monte de Santa Catarina, one of the highest points in the municipality, turning it into a space for observing and contemplating nature.
This is an area of more than 13,000 square metres, located next to the solar photovoltaic plant being built in the União de Freguesias de Gondifelos, Cavalões e Outiz, for which the municipal executive recently approved a 26-year loan agreement.
The space was visited yesterday by the mayor of the municipality, Mário Passos, who was accompanied by the councillor for the Environment, Hélder Pereira, and some members of the environmental association Famalicão em Transição, in a meeting that resulted in an "excellent exchange of ideas and contributions" for the future of this area, whose project is being drawn up by the municipality.
"We have here one of the highest points in the municipality (...) a space that can be used as a viewpoint and even as a study and research laboratory to understand the impact of renewable energies on biodiversity conservation," said the mayor, who explained that the aim is for Famalicenses to be able to enjoy a space with its own distinctive characteristics.
The spokesperson for the environmental association, Gil Pereira, added, "there are few areas of this kind in the municipality", explaining that although natural regeneration may take longer, it is the option that can guarantee better preservation of biodiversity.
The creation of a municipal forest, a concept that has been strongly defended by Mário Passos, was another of the subjects discussed at Thursday's meeting. The mayor recalled that the municipal forest is important for the valorisation and preservation of the forest in the municipality and challenged the association to collaborate with the municipality in achieving this goal.
