Chloris is a project committed to the habitat restoration through the reintroduction of native flora and the removal of exotic, invasive and weed vegetation. Its work is cooperative and seeks to preserve native biodiversity based on the involvement of local communities.

Following the global trend, Europe has suffered a sharp decline in its biodiversity and in the health of its natural ecosystems. Here, the fragmentation of the rural landscape, associated with urban spread and changes in land use, takes on a prominent role.

In the Lisbon region, large territorial stretches — previously allocated to agriculture, forestry, and pastoralism — are now devoid of continued use or in a state of neglect. Despite losing social utility, these areas remain unfavourable to their native biodiversity, creating an ecological problem as well as an opportunity for intervention.

Chloris develops conservation activities focusing on the introduction of native plants — herbs, shrubs, and trees — in the form of biodiverse pockets, hedgerows and understories. In this way, we seek to densify indigenous populations and enhance their dispersal throughout the intervened areas.

In this process, the removal of exotic, invasive and weed vegetation is also a priority. To this end, we adopt manual and non-intrusive control methods, adapted to the reality of each plot of land in order to guarantee a gradual ecological replacement.

Societal involvement in the enrichment of indigenous ecosystems is one of the founding pillars of this project. In this sense, we offer to collaborate with different land owners — private and public — in order to implement new territorial management practices that comply with the principles of sustainability and ecological responsibility.

Counselling and the exchange of ideas are taken as inseparable factors from the lasting impacts that we aim to produce. Parallel to its direct field intervention, the Chloris team aims to provide citizens with technical and conceptual tools for the long-term maintenance of their properties.

Chloris works to generate a contribution to the conservation of animal biodiversity, employing the restoration of its surrounding plant life with the intention of recovering food sources, shelters and nesting spaces close to the original ones.

The preservation of pollinating insects stands out in this situation, motivating us in the selection and distribution of flower plants to be reintroduced. Thus, this project seeks to increase native pollen sources, opposed — and in substitution — to the exotic angiosperms that sprout in the region.

Chloris relies on the engagement of society and on close cooperation with local landowners. If you want to intervene on your land, participate as a volunteer or financially support this initiative, contact our team at the address: outreach@kosmonaus.org

Regarding its geographical scope, Chloris operates — initially — in the municipalities of Mafra, Sintra and Torres Vedras (Lisbon District/Portugal), paying special attention to areas inserted in the Ribeiras do Oeste Basin.

Timewise, our activities follow yearly seasons starting at the September equinox. The calendar is divided between the preparation and transplantation of native specimens (autumn and winter), the maintenance of reintroduced plants (spring and summer) and the removal of exotic, invasive and weed vegetation (all year).

I
Aránzazu Prada, M., & Arizipe, D. (2009). Guia de propagação de árvores e arbustos ribeirinhos. Um contributo para o restauro de rios na região Mediterrânica. Lisboa: ISA Press, 206 p.

II
Costa, J.C., Aguiar, C., Capelo, J., Lousã, M., & Neto, C. (1998) – Biogeografia de Portugal Continental, Quercetea, Vol 0: 5-56.

III
Costa, J. C., Lousã, M., Capelo, J., Espírito-Santo, M. D., Sevillano, J. I., & Arsénio, P. (2000). The Coastal Vegetation of the Portuguese Divisory Sector: Dunes and Cliffs and Low-Scrub Communities. Finisterra, Vol. XXXV, Nº 69, 69-93.

IV
Costa, J. C. (2001). Tipos de vegetação e adaptações das plantas do litoral de Portugal continental. – In Albergaria Moreira, M. E., A. Casal Moura, H. M. Granja & F. Noronha (ed.) Homenagem (in honorio) Professor Doutor Soares de Carvalho: Braga. (UM). 283-299 p.

V
Godinho, L. P. (2013). Modelação da ocorrência potencial de espécies com interesse para a conservação nos sítios classificados Peniche/Santa Cruz e Sintra/Cascais. Lisboa: ISA. Mestrado em Gestão e Conservação dos Recursos Naturais – Instituto Superior de Agronomia / Universidade de Évora.

VI
Guiomar, N., Palheiro, P., Loureiro, C., Carvalho, C. R., Tomé, J., & Fernandes, J. P. (2011). Manual de boas práticas de gestão dos espaços florestais na bacia drenante da Albufeira de Castelo do Bode: Contributos do projeto “Nascentes para a Vida”. EPAL, Lisboa.

VII
Mesquita, S., Arsénio, P., Lousã M, Monteiro-Henriques T., & Costa J. C. (2005). Sintra Vegetation and Landscape. Quercetea, Vol 7: 65-81.

VIII
Miguel, F.O., Almeida, A., Portugal, A., Barros, C., Colaço, C., Ferreira, C., Rato, G., Fernandes, H., Vicente, H., Neiva, J., Rodrigues, J., Bento, L., Lopes, R., Louro, V., Tavares, A., Pinho, J., Rainha, M., Carvalho, M., & Queiroz, R. (2006) Guião de Educação Ambiental: Conhecer e preservar as florestas, Colecção Educação para a Cidadania, Ministério da Educação, DGIDC, Lisboa. 104p.

IX
MONTEIRO, P. R. (2010). Da semente se faz a árvore – Reprodução por semente de árvores e arbustos autóctones. Castelo Branco: Quercus – Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza. Cadernos Quercus. Série D n.º 6. 92 p.

X
Oliveira, A. C. (1999). Boas práticas florestais para o pinheiro bravo. Manual. Centro Pinus, Porto. 32 p.