Intervention on the destruction of the last forest of Seixal to allow for UOPG 33 (Pinhal das Freiras)

Today, one of the members of our group, accompanied by some others, went to the open session of the Seixal City Council to talk about our concerns.

Unfortunately, due to some issues with form filling related to the GDPR, the Seixal City Council "could not" record his speech. However, he shared his speech so that everyone can read it 👏.

Thank you, Pedro!

From what I understand, this caused quite a stir among the members of the City Council.

We will go back there until they really listen to us.

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December 11, 2024 – Ordinary meeting of the Seixal City Council – Intervention on the destruction of the last forest of Seixal to allow for UOPG 33 (Pinhal das Freiras) By João Pedro Pericão Almeida

Mr. President of the Seixal City Council, ladies and gentlemen,

The matter that brings me here is the ongoing process of authorization by the Seixal City Council for the Alves Ribeiro company to be authorized to destroy the so-called Pinhal das Freiras to construct a mega real estate development.

The Seixal municipality was once known for its extensive forested areas.

Today, no forest remains in this municipality, except for the forest located between Fernão Ferro, Foros da Amora, Belverde, and Verdizela, about 800 hectares.

And now the municipal council intends to authorize the construction company "Alves Ribeiro" to destroy a third of this forest.

Some arguments have been heard to try to justify the destruction of this forest.

The first is that the forest lands are privately owned, and there is nothing the City Council can do.

We citizens, or any collective entity if we want to build or make any significant changes to our homes, also have to ask for approval from the City Council.

And the Council is not obligated to approve everything that is requested.

Even a powerful company like Alves Ribeiro must ask the City Council for approval to change a forested plot to an urbanization. And the Council is not obligated to approve.

The fact is that Alves Ribeiro bought this land as forest land, and now it is trying to maximize its profits by cutting down the forest and building real estate.

But I say: it bought a forest! It should keep it a forest! If it wants, it can exploit the forest resources. If not, it should give the forest land to those who want to keep it as such.

Another argument that has been mentioned is that this project has existed since 1993. From 1993 until now, more than 30 years have passed, and the circumstances in which our country and our planet find themselves are well known as on the verge of a climate and environmental collapse. Various entities like the UN, and the European Union call for measures to be taken at the local level to reverse this situation.

A third aspect that has been mentioned is that Alves Ribeiro is very generous because it will give part of the forest land there to make a park. From what we can observe on the project map, this park, to be completed within 15 years, will consist of a strip of land running in front of the future urbanized area.

It will be a good investment for "Alves Ribeiro" as they will have a strip of land with some trees to enhance the construction they will make there.

But it will not be a park with dimensions and conditions to sustain the wildlife that currently still exists there.

The very name that is being given to this future park is a euphemism: instead of being called the Metropolitan Biodiversity Park, it should be called the park that was given in exchange for biodiversity...

Lastly, another argument that has been used to justify the destruction of the forest is that land is needed for the construction of more housing. Anyone who passes through the streets and roads of our municipality can see the immense amount of useless land: it is not forest, it does not have the dimension to sustain self-sufficient ecosystems again, it is not capable agricultural land, but also nobody builds there. Therefore, it is up to the City Council to invigorate the local real estate market so that these lands are made useful for the housing market.

That a large company like Alves Ribeiro has the greed to maximize its profits without consideration for the environment and the future, I understand.

But that the City Council of my municipality might come to allow nature to be destroyed, and that everything that has been a global goal of reducing CO2 concentrations, be put in question by the very City Council, is something that I cannot understand.

Ladies and gentlemen, my exposition has to be positive, and therefore I come to you to propose a Vision.

This is the beginning of a struggle not only mine but of many other citizens and their will for a better future for everyone.

I challenge, therefore, the Seixal City Council to join those who care about the future, and to go the way – certainly more difficult in the short term - of not yielding to the interests of this large construction company, and of not allowing the destruction of a forest that has the dimension to sustain wildlife with considerable diversity;

And alternatively, let's roll up our sleeves together and leave a legacy for future generations - improve this forest and create a true forest park open to everyone in the Municipality and the Country.

Let's make this forest a complete native forest, with more diversity of plant and animal species - you have already seen that people want to participate in building a better future, as was possible to observe in the last reforestation actions - volunteers will not be lacking to plant trees, to help do the rewilding of the forest, and to take care of the forest park.

To conclude:

The municipal council and the people who are here [I pointed to the President and the councilors] have two chances to be remembered in History:

The first is negatively, to be remembered as those who approved the destruction of the last forest of the Seixal Municipality.

The second chance is to be remembered as those who saved this forest from the clutches of big capital, allowing the forest nature in our municipality to subsist, and having fulfilled their role in the fight against the destruction of the environment and the fulfillment of the goals against climate changes.

Destruction or Salvation for future generations, please choose.