Portugal Announces Seven-Billion-Euro Investment In Forest Preservation

Antonio Costa

LISBON, Mar 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, yesterday, announced a seven-billion-euro (8.33-billion- U.S. dollar) investment, in forest preservation until the year 2030.

“It is an investment in fire-fighting and prevention equipment, but it is above all, an investment in the structural transformation of our forest, which means, avoiding monoculture (and) creating a landscape mosaic,” he said, in the city of Lousa, in central Portugal.

The forest should be considered as “a source of wealth” and something that has “added value,” he stressed.

The government promised that a large number of equipment will be acquired and distributed to forest producer organisations and inter-municipal communities, for both fire fighting and forest maintenance.