Porto Municipality – Revitalisation of green areas – Quinta de Salgueiros
Quinta de Salgueiros
The proposed study area has approximately 6,36 ha and is located on the grounds of an old farm – Quinta de Salgueiros. It’s located in the east of the city in Campanhã, one of the most deprived parishes which is getting attention from the present City Officials to level it up with the remaining areas of Porto (economically, socially, environmentally). Porto’s municipality has made public its interest and priority to invest in Campanhã to promote inclusion and social, environmental and economic improvement.
Quinta de Salgueiros project purposes
The Quinta de Salgueiros project aims to restore ecosystems such as streams, woodlands, and meadows to enhance biodiversity, ecosystem services, and climate resilience. It will serve as a demonstration area for nature-based solutions (NBS) while also testing these solutions in an urban context.
The project seeks to recover a historically significant farm that has suffered social and environmental degradation, transforming it into a valuable space for the city and its residents by promoting soft mobility and social cohesion.
Additionally, a Biolab will be implemented, providing a collaborative space where universities, citizens, and policymakers can conduct experiments and test innovative NBS. Finally, the project will contribute to improving the municipality’s ecological structure and connectivity, strengthening the Eastern Park – Alameda de Cartes – Antas continuum.
Facts and figures
Quinta de Salgueiros has a rich history, with its oldest recorded mention dating back to 1744. Over the centuries, it has passed through various owners who have shaped its landscape, and its first detailed map from 1892 reveals a mix of formal gardens, cultivated fields, orchards, and forests. As a site of historical and cultural significance, it was once used by Jacinto de Matos, one of Porto’s most renowned landscape gardeners, for nurseries and greenhouses. However, today, the Quinta is in a state of evident socio-ecological degradation, urgently requiring rehabilitation measures while also presenting great potential for ecosystem restoration.
A recent study identified 35 species of vertebrates and 104 taxa of flora, highlighting its diverse biotopes and capacity to support even greater biodiversity. The project to restore Quinta de Salgueiros will directly benefit the 11,000 people living within a 500-meter radius, as well as a broader community of up to 32,451 individuals due to its proximity to key urban landmarks such as the Campanhã terminal, the old Slaughterhouse cultural space, metro stations, a shopping center, a football stadium, a large hotel, and a primary school. Through NBRACER, the rehabilitation of Quinta de Salgueiros will enhance local and regional heritage, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and overall well-being.
NBS implementation in the context of NBRACER project will allow the rehabilitation of a degraded area in Campanhã parish. Quinta de Salgueiros solutions can be summarized in the following topics:
