In the heart of Portugal’s Greater Côa Valley, Paul de Toirões was once a heavily scarred mine. Today, through a blend of natural regeneration and targeted interventions, the rewilding site’s lakes, ponds, and surrounding areas are evolving into a wildlife-rich oasis.
From wasteland to wetland
It takes a bird’s-eye view to fully appreciate the rapid transformation of Paul de Toirões. A decade ago, this former quarry in Portugal’s Greater Côa Valley was an industrial wasteland — a ravaged landscape of shafts, pits, and scars carved by man and machine. Today, from the air, the 300-hectare rewilding site reveals a vibrant mosaic of lakes, ponds, ditches, and wetlands, as birds, dragonflies, turtles, otters, and a host of other species return to recolonise newly formed habitats. Around the water bodies, native forest is regenerating, strengthening resilience and further boosting biodiversity.
A mixture of natural regeneration and targeted interventions by the Rewilding Portugal team — which began managing Paul de Toirões in late 2022 — have driven the site’s metamorphosis.
“The rebirth of Paul de Toirões showcases the remarkable power of nature to heal itself — when we give it the opportunity,” says André Couto, Rewilding Portugal Field Officer. “With a little help from the team, the site’s ongoing recovery has created a large, flourishing wetland that is uniquely valuable in the landscape — there’s nothing else quite like it in the surrounding area, which is typically much drier.”
A legacy of extraction
For decades, Paul de Toirões was shaped by intensive mining activity. Formerly known as Quinta de Santa Margarida, the site was exploited for tin, tungsten, and sand, with extraction continuing until its abandonment in the early 2010s. Set within a natural stream bed, the area was heavily reworked over time, with excavation creating a dramatically altered landscape of deep pits, steep banks, and artificial drainage systems designed to move water quickly off-site.
While heavily degraded, Paul de Toirões also held the seeds of recovery. When mining stopped, water began to gather in excavated hollows, forming an extensive and varied network of interconnected aquatic habitats that would later prove vital for biodiversity. Yet significant barriers to nature recovery remained — steep slopes restricted wildlife access, drainage channels prevented natural water retention, and large areas were still dominated by non-native tree plantations.
Working with nature
Practical rewilding efforts by Rewilding Portugal kicked off at Paul de Toirões in November 2022, supported by funding from Mossy Earth. The goal was simple but ambitious: to set the site on a pathway to becoming a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem.
Using heavy machinery where necessary, the team reshaped the terrain in formerly mined parts of the site — softening the edges of water bodies, removing artificial drainage systems, and building small barriers to retain water for longer periods. This expanded wetland areas, made them more inviting for wildlife, and created a broader range of aquatic habitats — from deep lakes to shallow, seasonally flooded zones. Rows of exotic cypress were removed to allow native trees such as Pyrenean oak and holm oak to regenerate — further enhancing habitat diversity and connectivity.
Today, otters are reclaiming waterways, amphibians are filling ponds, and an increasingly wide range of birds are finding places to forage, nest, and raise their young.
“Through relatively small-scale interventions — moving some earth, blocking a few ditches, giving space back to native vegetation — we’ve been able to create a whole spectrum of habitats,” explains André Couto. “By working with nature, we’ve helped Paul de Toirões on its journey back to life.”
Measuring impact
To measure the recovery of nature at Paul de Toirões, a number of surveys have been carried out across the site. These include bird monitoring, amphibian surveys, and a comprehensive aquatic plant assessment funded by Mossy Earth, and surveys of forested areas.
The results are already striking. Surveys conducted in 2023 and 2024 recorded 94 species of aquatic plants, representing a wide range of wetland habitats — from sandy shores to flooded willow forests. Rare and endangered species have also been identified, including the southern bladderwort – an insectivorous plant that is highly sensitive to water quality which has very few record inland Portugal.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has further revealed the presence of more than 200 species across the site, while amphibian and bird surveys have highlighted the growing importance of temporary ponds and wetlands as breeding and feeding grounds. Species such as black storks, marsh harriers, spoonbills, and hobbies have been recorded.
“These are essentially baseline surveys,” explains André Couto. “They give us a snapshot of where we are now. In a few years, when we repeat them, we expect to see the positive impact of rewilding reflected further, as wildlife diversity and abundance continue to increase.”
The revival of Paul de Toirões boosts ecological connectivity across the Greater Côa Valley, creating a new ecological stepping stone for species moving through the landscape. Its expanding wetlands and regenerating forests complement other rewilding sites in the valley, advancing Rewilding Portugal’s efforts to build a large-scale wildlife corridor.
A new destination for nature lovers
The resurgence of nature at Paul de Toirões is also transforming the site into a focal point for sustainable tourism in the Greater Côa Valley, helping drive the growth of a broader nature-based economy.
Visitors can now experience Paul de Toirões through guided tours, wildlife observation opportunities, and immersive stays. A dedicated wildlife watching hide offers close encounters with birds and other species, while WilderCamp — a mobile camp run by Rewilding Portugal — provides a unique accommodation experience that connects guests with the surrounding landscape.
These initiatives not only showcase the ecological recovery of the area, but also create new economic opportunities for local communities — demonstrating how rewilding can help people and nature thrive together.
An ever wilder future
While the transformation of Paul de Toirões has been rapid, the journey is far from complete. Rewilding Portugal will continue to monitor ecological change, support the ongoing return of wildlife, and allow natural processes to reshape the landscape. Over the coming years, repeated surveys will track changes in biodiversity, water quality, and habitat development. As vegetation matures and food webs become stronger, the site is expected to evolve into an ever more vibrant and dynamic ecosystem.
“Nature is already doing most of the work,” says André Couto. “Our role is to step back and let these processes unfold — while keeping an eye on how things develop.”
What was once a scarred industrial site is now a living demonstration of rewilding in action and a testament to nature’s capacity to heal. In the Greater Côa Valley, Paul de Toirões stands as a compelling example of how even heavily degraded landscapes can be transformed into thriving havens for wildlife when natural processes are given the space and freedom to recover — offering hope, inspiration, and a window onto a wilder future.
