Dam, Conservation, and Sustainability
Dam, Conservation, and Sustainability
The Herdade da Apariça e Chaparral dam features a body of water spanning over 21 hectares, offering unique conditions for birdwatching and observing nature.
Frequently, and at specific times of the year, one can observe very rare birds—such as black storks, spoonbills, various species of ducks, flamingos, and Egyptian geese—as well as otters and other wildlife. This is due to the high level of protection and the tranquility that these animals find within this unique habitat.
We have created conditions that encourage them to stay or return year after year; to this end, we have fenced off the entire dam area to prevent livestock from reaching the water, and we regulate access for people and anglers to ensure the peace and quiet that these animals require.
We use irrigation systems (center-pivot) to produce high-nutritional-value pasture for our livestock; however, we only cultivate these water-intensive crops when the reservoir fills with rainwater during the winter. This allows us to grow them without significantly impacting the reservoir—and, by extension, the habitat of the birds and otters that live there.
Conservation and sustainability are central to our daily agricultural production decisions. We are aware that our operations are located in a region of great importance for nature conservation, and our goal is to minimize our footprint, ensuring the long-term sustainability of our life project.
