Quercus protests Volta a Portugal route through Gerês

The environmental association Quercus is contesting the authorization for the Volta a Portugal cycling race to pass through the Mata de Albergaria, located within the Peneda-Gerês National Park. The group warns that the event sets a “grave precedente” (serious precedent) regarding the protection of ecologically sensitive areas.

While the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) has implemented biodiversity protection measures—including banning the public from sensitive sectors, limiting support vehicles, and prohibiting aerial vehicles and sound amplification—Quercus argues these do not address the fundamental issue. The association maintains that the logistics and scale of a national sporting competition are incompatible with one of Portugal’s most sensitive natural habitats, which includes areas of partial and total protection.

Quercus has called for a route change, stating that the conservation of the forest, described as one of the last strongholds of original woodland, should prevail over the event. They also raised concerns regarding the compatibility of the race with the Peneda-Gerês National Park Management Plan and noted a lack of public assessment regarding the area's carrying capacity and the cumulative effects of such visitation.