Fundraising began last year, following the fires that devastated much of the island’s north and west coast. After what happened and with their eyes set on the future, the community wanted to contribute positively to the reforestation of the island, which many nomads already call their “second home”.
The environmental action, promoted by the Madeira Friends association, had the support of some local partners, including: Greener Act, a platform for travelers to measure and improve their environmental footprint, through local impact actions such as planting trees among other causes, Regaterra, Ageas insurance, VMT Madeira and VIP RC Transports.
The group intends to continue with this type of action, having already scheduled a new plantation for March. For most people, this was the first time they had planted a tree and doing it in Madeira had a special flavor. In addition to the planted trees, the group had the opportunity to learn and hear directly from local workers in the field, who know the reality and challenges in the forestry area, such as soil maintenance, invasive and endemic species.
Madeira Friends is a project focused on integrating foreigners into Madeiran society, mainly remote workers, and the objective is to connect them with locals. Much of its work involves finding and creating ways to promote synergies between the international and local community, such as the development of social responsibility actions like this. Last year, the association had more than 10 thousand people at its various events and hopes to surpass that number in 2024.