The morning of the second stage of the Volta ao Algarve was marked by a symbolic gesture, but one that was full of meaning: the planting of five Monchique oak trees in Alto da Fóia, precisely on the day that the race once again ended at the highest point in the Algarve.

The initiative was promoted by the Portuguese Cycling Federation, in partnership with GEOTA, as part of the Renature Monchique project, which since 2019 has been working on the ecological recovery of the mountains after the 2018 fire.

The President of the Portuguese Cycling Federation, Cândido Barbosa, the President of GEOTA, Américo Ferreira, the President of the Algarve Tourism Region, André Gomes, the Mayor of Monchique, Paulo Alves, and the President of the Algarve Cycling Association, Ricardo Rodrigues, took part in the event.

“A small but significant contribution”

“We have been in Monchique since 2019 with this reforestation project. This is a small gesture. But it is with the sum of these small gestures that great results are achieved”, said Américo Ferreira, recalling that GEOTA is celebrating 45 years of activity and currently has three reforestation projects underway, in Serra da Estrela, Pinhal de Leiria, and Monchique. He also said that the goal of planting 600,000 trees will be achieved by the end of March.

Cândido Barbosa emphasized the natural connection between cycling and sustainability. “Cycling is a different sport, with ecological concerns and an increasing focus on sustainability. It promotes healthy habits and has a very close relationship with the territories”, he said, reinforcing the importance of communicating these initiatives as a way of raising awareness among populations and other institutions.

For the Mayor of Monchique, Paulo Alves, the Monchique oak has a particular symbolic value. “We like to associate ourselves with good ideas and good projects. This partnership with GEOTA has yielded excellent results in the conservation of an endangered species. The Monchique oak is a symbol of our mountains”, he said, expressing his hope that this moment will contribute to giving greater visibility to the Renature Monchique project.

André Gomes highlighted the collaborative nature of the initiative. The President of the Algarve Tourism Region pointed out that the project’s “great virtue” is its ability to intervene in the territory through synergy between public and private entities. “We have two of the region’s hallmarks here: the Monchique Mountains and the Volta ao Algarve cycling race. It is essential to promote our territory from a sustainable perspective as well.”

Restoring the mountains, involving the community

The Renature Monchique project was born in the wake of the 2018 fire, which devastated around 28,000 hectares of the mountains. Since 2019, 1,585 hectares have been restored and 580,000 native trees planted.

Developed through a partnership between GEOTA, Ryanair, the Algarve Tourism Region, the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, and the Municipality of Monchique, the project focuses on restoring habitats, strengthening resilience to climate change, and collaborating directly with local landowners.

On a day when the peloton once again faced the iconic climb to Fóia, the planting of these five oak trees symbolized the connection between sport and the territory—a message that each stage can also take root in the future.