Over 250 kilometers covered and 102 participations
We’ve reached the end of this season of volunteer activities, and it was undoubtedly a semester full of great energy (and lots of rain!) with our dear volunteers.
This article is especially dedicated to all those who joined us in the mission of taking care of our trails and our territory!
It’s amazing to see how quickly the spots for our volunteer activities fill up whenever we release a new calendar.
In this first semester of 2025, we launched two quarterly calendars with several nature conservation activities — mostly maintenance hikes — holding an average of four activities per month.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel a few sessions — especially in March — due to heavy rainfall across the region. But in return, we were rewarded with a prolonged spring that washed the landscapes in soft watercolor tones.
Shall we look at the numbers?
“So good to see you again!”, “Welcome! Thanks for joining us!”, and “When’s the next hike?”
These are definitely among the most common phrases at these gatherings (and reunions), which bring together both regular volunteers — those who’ve joined us for many (really, many!) activities — and first-timers, who either saw a poster, heard about the initiative, or simply happened to be in the area and finally had the chance to participate.
Here’s what we accomplished in the first half of 2025:
. Out of the 25 planned activities, we were able to carry out 14;
. We recorded 102 participant entries;
. Ezra and Rozerin, long-term volunteers at Rota Vicentina, added 8 self-guided maintenance hikes;
. With a total duration of approximately 165 hours;
We completed light maintenance on 250 km of an extensive network of walking trails.
We also highlight the tireless work of our long-term volunteers, Ezra and Rozerin, whose support is essential to managing both the light and heavy maintenance of the walking and cycling trails.
Thank you, everyone!
Along the way, we crossed paths with many hikers: some thanked us and acknowledged the effort; others, curious, asked who we were and what we were doing. We received warm smiles, surprised looks — and even a few confused ones!
At the end of the day — after all the footsteps, conversations, silences, laughter, freshly painted waymarks, trash collected, knowledge shared, photos taken, and moments lived — amazing people come together with a shared purpose. And we finish each hike richer than when we started.
We thank you all for walking with us, for your commitment and dedication!
Here are some of your testimonials — they might just inspire others to join us for the next season of activities!
Ana: “Thank you for the commitment!”
In the beginning, back in 2019, I was looking for a hiking group(…). I wanted hiking to become a more regular part of my life and was open to meeting new people. And in fact, I’ve made friends for life! (…) I really enjoyed some of the hikes where biologists specialized in plants joined us, explaining which plants to cut and why; sometimes the question was whether to cut at all; and helping us identify the plants we came across along the way… (…) A big thank you for the initiative, for your availability, commitment, and dedication!
Carla: “I highly recommend it!”
“A very good experience to be able to contribute to the maintenance of the trails, which are important both for locals and for the tourists who walk them, to meet people and make new friends. I highly recommend these activities.”
David: “Definitely worth repeating”
Living in the region for at least half the year, I wanted to understand what I could do to help preserve the natural beauty of the area, also driven by my curiosity to learn more (…). I really enjoyed all the explanations given by the Rota Vicentina guides and how they tried to involve the group. (…) Definitely something to repeat!
Elisa: “Please, keep it going!”
It started as an excuse to visit a part of the country I love throughout the year, combining that with my passion for hiking, nature, beauty, and a sense of civic responsibility (…). I always encourage everyone to take part! The work done by Rota Vicentina is incredibly important. Please keep it going!
Olivia: “The Rota guide is excellent”
I really enjoyed the hikes. They were allways well organised, and there was good communication for the organising. The Rota guide is an excellent hike leader, keeping the group together and she knows a lot of interesting information. It was a great way to discover new routes and meet like-minded people.
Katinka: “The hikes are so much fun”
I decided to sign up for the volunteering hikes because the region means something to me and in the past years I find it more and more disrespectful how hikers and tourists leave the nature behind (…) I would definitely recommend these activities to others because the hikes were always so much fun plus it’s a great opportunity if you learn portuguese (…).
Susana: “Extremely important”
My motivation was to be in nature, discover new trails, and contribute to their conservation. (…) I definitely recommend it, and thanks to my feedback, a friend also became a volunteer. These activities are extremely important — from collecting litter and clearing overgrown vegetation to marking waypoints that make the trails more accessible.
Teresa: “Important for the territorie”
I really enjoyed the activity: I consider it extremely important for the region and for raising collective awareness, and it was also a very pleasant experience.
Tânia: “Contribute to the conservation”
What motivated me to take part was the opportunity to be closer to nature and to contribute to its conservation. I love the Vicentina Coast and want to help preserve this natural habitat. Also, meeting new people who share an interest in nature-based activities and ecology was a big part of it.
Graduated in Landscape Architecture, she has always been connected to Nature. Leonor loves plants, music, crafts, drawing and walking. The Alentejo is your home.
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