Ecosystem Regeneration Community of Barlavento
Portugal
Restoration, Community, WaterMU
Mud Valley Foundation
Portugal
NonprofitThe Mud Valley Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ecological regeneration and bioregional resilience in the southwestern Algarve, Portugal. Based at Quinta Vale da Lama near Lagos, we operate at the front lines of a landscape increasingly threatened by desertification, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. As climate pressures and wildfire risks intensify, we serve as a hub for restoring both the natural environment and the human communities that depend on it. Our work is rooted in the belief that healthy ecosystems are the foundation of human well-being. We address environmental disruptions head-on by integrating hands-on restoration practices with scientific inquiry and community-led action. By fostering a deep connection to the land, we aim to reverse the effects of desertification and create functioning, resilient landscapes that can withstand the challenges of a changing climate.
Project story
Coordinated by the Mud Valley Foundation, the Ecosystem Regeneration Community of Southwest Algarve (ERC Barlavento) is a network of local organizations with a wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, skill sets, and experiences who have come together to address the ongoing challenges related to ecosystem degradation in the southwestern Algarve. Through effective planning, taking action, and growing our impact, we are working to assure improved soil quality, water availability, biodiversity, and local livelihoods.
We first came together in late 2024 to begin this regenerative journey, with an initial meeting and collaborative ideation session to kick start our work. Now in 2025, we will becoming increasingly active and engaged as we work to define and implement our collective impact strategy for our bioregion.
By scaling up agroforestry and applying indigenous microorganisms to degraded soil, the collective works to secure water availability and enhance regional biodiversity across dozens of hectares, creating a real, replicable blueprint for Mediterranean climate resilience.
Project updates
Team
Ecosystem Regeneration Community of Barlavento
Portugal
Restoration, Community, WaterMU
Mud Valley Foundation
Portugal
NonprofitThe Mud Valley Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ecological regeneration and bioregional resilience in the southwestern Algarve, Portugal. Based at Quinta Vale da Lama near Lagos, we operate at the front lines of a landscape increasingly threatened by desertification, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. As climate pressures and wildfire risks intensify, we serve as a hub for restoring both the natural environment and the human communities that depend on it. Our work is rooted in the belief that healthy ecosystems are the foundation of human well-being. We address environmental disruptions head-on by integrating hands-on restoration practices with scientific inquiry and community-led action. By fostering a deep connection to the land, we aim to reverse the effects of desertification and create functioning, resilient landscapes that can withstand the challenges of a changing climate.
Project story
Coordinated by the Mud Valley Foundation, the Ecosystem Regeneration Community of Southwest Algarve (ERC Barlavento) is a network of local organizations with a wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, skill sets, and experiences who have come together to address the ongoing challenges related to ecosystem degradation in the southwestern Algarve. Through effective planning, taking action, and growing our impact, we are working to assure improved soil quality, water availability, biodiversity, and local livelihoods.
We first came together in late 2024 to begin this regenerative journey, with an initial meeting and collaborative ideation session to kick start our work. Now in 2025, we will becoming increasingly active and engaged as we work to define and implement our collective impact strategy for our bioregion.
By scaling up agroforestry and applying indigenous microorganisms to degraded soil, the collective works to secure water availability and enhance regional biodiversity across dozens of hectares, creating a real, replicable blueprint for Mediterranean climate resilience.
Project updates
Team
Location
Portugal