Luftaufnahme des 2,325 ha Wild Roots Grundstücks in Vila do Bispo

🏞️ The Land

The Land

2.325 hectares in Europe's last wild coast — a living laboratory for renaturation, permaculture, and sustainable building within the Natura 2000 network.

2.325Hectares

37.12°NSW Tip of Europe

EU 3170*Priority Habitat

Pre-1951Stone Ruin

Key Facts

🏙

Location

Vila do Bispo, Western Algarve

37.12103°N, -8.87824°W

📏

Area

2.325 hectares

23,250 m²

🌳

Protection

Natura 2000 / PNSACV

Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina

📜

Classification

RAN — Apoio Agrícola

Reclassification pending → enables 7m building height

⛰

Elevation

~120m

Above sea level

🌎

Soil

Terra rossa, pH 7.2–8.6

Limestone bedrock, Mediterranean red soils

☀

Climate

Csb (Mediterranean)

~500mm annual rainfall, 3000+ sunshine hours

🏘

Existing Structure

Pre-1951 agricultural ruin

4.12m height documented — basis for building permit

Project Zones

Five integrated zones designed using permaculture principles — from food forest to pollinator meadow.

Zone A: Agroforestry & Food Forest

Zone B: Native Habitat Restoration

Zone C: Building Site & Garden

Zone D: Water Management & Swales

Zone E: Apiculture & Pollinator Meadow

History & Context

Ancient Agricultural Use

For centuries this land was used for traditional dryland farming — cereals, olives, carob, and almonds. The stone walls and terraces visible today are remnants of generations of careful land stewardship.

50 Years of Abandonment

Like much of rural Algarve, the land was abandoned as agriculture declined. Natural succession has begun — cistus, lavender, and native grasses are returning, but without management, fire risk increases.

Pre-1951 Ruin

The existing agricultural ruin predates 1951, proven by historical aerial photography. At 4.12m documented height, it establishes a legal precedent for rebuilding — the foundation of our permit strategy.

Protected Landscape

Part of the PNSACV (since 1988) and Natura 2000 network. Managed under ICNF guidelines. Any intervention must enhance, not diminish, the ecological value of this protected area.

Why This Land Matters

The Challenge — and the Opportunity

Last Wild Coast

The Costa Vicentina is the last remaining undeveloped coastline in Southern Europe. What happens here sets a precedent.

Desertification Threat

+1.5°C warming since 1970. Rainfall declining. Without intervention, this landscape faces irreversible degradation.

Soil Needs Regeneration

Only 2.8% organic matter in soil — well below the 4% threshold for resilient ecosystems. Building soil is our first priority.

Proof of Concept

If renaturation works on 2.325 ha, it can work on 23,250 m². Every measurement we take adds to the evidence base.

Explore the Land

🌿