The Renature Estrela project restored 305 hectares of wildfire-impacted communal land (baldios) in Serra da Estrela Natural Park - Portugal's largest natural park, a UNESCO Geopark, and a critical watershed. Baldios are historic common lands managed by local communities since the 14th century, supporting grazing, forestry, and rural livelihoods. The most recent impactful fires occurred in 2013, 2017 (17,000 ha) and 2022 (22,000 ha, 25% of the park). Without intervention, the baldios of Cortes do Meio faced a high risk of irreversible desertification. One Tree Planted funded two planting seasons implemented by GEOTA (Grupo de Estudos de Ordenamento do Territorio e Ambiente), with over 40 years of conservation and restoration experience across Portugal, specifically in the Southern and Central regions including Serra da Estrela. Year 1 (March-April 2023): 46,800 trees across 37 ha at 1,265 trees/ha. Year 2 (October 2023-April 2024): 238,727 trees across 268 ha at 872 trees/ha. Cumulative total: 280,626 trees across 305 ha. One-year monitoring confirms 51% survival in Year 1 (delayed planting window and atypical August hailstorms) and 70% in Year 2, in line with expectations per the Baldios technical team. Three-year monitoring due 2026 and 2027. The project created 5 seasonal jobs in Year 1 and 25 new jobs in Year 2, engaged 290 volunteers, and directly benefited 600 baldios co-owner families.

1. GEOTA identified the communal lands (baldios) of Cortes do Meio, Castelo Branco, within Serra da Estrela Natural Park as the intervention area. The baldios had suffered severe wildfire damage in 2013, 2017 and 2022 and faced a high risk of irreversible desertification without active restoration. 2. Seedlings were sourced from local nurseries to ensure site adaptation and planted across the defined intervention zones in two consecutive seasons, covering 305 hectares across 25 parcels within the baldios boundary. 3. Year 1 (1 March–2 April 2023): 46,800 trees across 37 hectares at 1,265 trees/ha, involving 5 seasonal staff. 4. Year 2 (31 October 2023–4 April 2024): 238,727 trees across 268 hectares at 872 trees/ha, creating 25 new jobs and engaging 290 volunteers. 5. Survival monitoring at 12 months used random plot sampling (10% per plot yr1; 1–5% per species per plot yr2), drone photogrammetry, and ground-level photography with Baldios technical teams. Results: 51% survival Year 1; 70% Year 2. Three-year monitoring due 2026 and 2027. 6. KML boundaries approved by OTP MRV team: Year 1 = 37.4 ha; Year 2 = 267.80 ha (confirmed 21 October 2024). 7. Independent field verification by Earthtrust confirmed tree counts, survival rates, planting methodology, and the ecological restoration trajectory across the full 305 ha.