Rewilding in Portugal: Legal Guidance Notes

This note covers rewilding and:

• Land uses and management plans
• Public interest restrictions and public interest easements (REN and RAN)
• Construction permits
• Environmental assessments

This note covers rewilding and:

• National Network of Protected Areas, Natura 2000 network sites, and areas protected under international commitments 
• Rewilding activities in classified areas

This note covers rewilding and:

• Steps to remove a small dam
• Obligations of the landowner / land manager
• Dam removal in classified areas

This note covers rewilding and:

• Obligations to prevent wild fires

This note covers rewilding and:

• Legal definition of forest and woodland
• Main planning regulations for forest management and associated restrictions
• Restrictions on afforestation and reforestation
• Special regimes for protected plant species
• Applicable rules for non-native plant species

This note covers rewilding and:

• Informal and formal mechanisms to secure grazing rights on private and public land
• The impact of different mechanisms when ownership of land changes

This note covers rewilding and:

• The legal framework applicable to hunting
• Restrictions on hunting: no-hunting areas and conditional hunting areas
• Areas of right not to hunt
• How to create a ZCT

This note covers rewilding and:

• General overview of the legal framework applicable to reintroductions of wild animals
• Special rules to consider in relation to species, location, import, transport and well-being of the animals

This note covers rewilding and:

• Types of property and public access
• How to permit and/or limit access to private property
• How to create restricted areas

This note covers rewilding and:

• General rules applicable to third party liability and how noncontractual liability arises (including waiver and exemptions)
• Liability for construction or maintenance defects
• Liability for damage to people on / entering your land
• Measures to adopt with regard to trespassers

This note covers rewilding and:

• Liability for damage caused by wild animals, kept animals and game animals

This note covers rewilding and:

• Liabilities for damage caused to your neighbours and other third parties as a result of activities on your land

This note covers rewilding and:

• Different legal structures to obtain land for rewilding and their potential for long-term protection
• Lease agreements
• Common land (“baldios”) and National Rural Land Market (“bolsa nacional de terras”)
• Private Protected Areas
• Registration