For the 13th consecutive year, the Municipality of Loulé, through its Municipal Civil Protection Service, promoted the "Forest Surveillance - Youth Volunteering" programme aimed at young people aged 12 to 17.

The activity took place during the school holidays, in July and August, and 8 brigades were formed, composed of 5 people accompanied by a monitor.

As a balance of this programme, which once again took place in the priority parishes in terms of defending the forest against rural fires, it should be noted that some 620 km have been covered and that one rural fire has been detected, still in its initial phase.

All participants and interveners received their nature watcher's diploma.

According to those responsible for the programme, the main objectives of this action are the prevention and detection of forest fires, raising awareness and informing the population, promoting outdoor walks, favouring interpersonal relationships among the participating volunteers, as well as being an important vehicle for safeguarding the role of the forest and the environment.

This programme was supported by the parish councils of Alte, Ameixial, Salir and União de Freguesias Querença Tôr and Benafim.

This is one of the initiatives implemented annually by the Municipality of Loulé and is part of the preventive philosophy of the REMAS project, of the Interreg Sudoe programme, dedicated to the greenhouse gas emissions risk management in forest fires.