Case Study 3

Post-fire Recovery in Portugal

In Portugal, Trees4Adapt examines post-fire recovery strategies in Mediterranean forested landscapes where wildfire risk is increasing due to climate change. The work is centred in the Serra da Estrela region, an area that has experienced severe and repeated wildfires with long-lasting ecological and socio-economic impacts. This case study assesses a range of recovery and restoration options – including mixed species planting, natural regeneration, fuel management interventions, and landscape-scale design measures – to understand how they influence biodiversity, soil and hydrological processes, and long-term forest resilience.

Researchers collect ecological data and analyse how different post-fire recovery strategies affect fire risk reduction, habitat recovery, and the stability of regenerating ecosystems under future climate scenarios. The project also works with landowners, local authorities, and regional stakeholders to understand barriers to recovery, gaps in capacity, and opportunities for improved landscape planning in fire-prone regions.

Results from Portugal help the project evaluate the performance of tree-based solutions in high-risk environments, feed into the project’s bioeconomic models (WP3), and inform the Europe-wide modelling of cascading and compound risks (WP4). The findings support the development of guidance for regions across southern Europe facing similar wildfire pressures.