STOP FORAL SOLAR FARM - SAVE OUR WATER!

PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR COMMUNITY, BIODIVERSITY AND EVERYONE'S WATER!

This crowdfunding campaign aims to raise €12,000 to help pay for the legal action that the Residents' Association of Foral Larga Vista (Silves) taking against a planned industrial solar farm. This project will have a devastating impact on the natural resources (especially underground water table and wildlife) and the wellbeing of the local community. The action was filed on Wednesday 10th January with the courts in Loule.

Update on 11/03/2024:

We would like to inform everyone that since the creation of this appeal, as well as the funds listed on this page, we have received a further €1,508 on the Portuguese page and over €5,000 in direct contributions. We are now closer to our goal, but please continue your support to help us reach our target. Thank you.

The project developer is building a 96ha,102,000 panel solar farm with 5km 60KV High Tension lines and pylons to Tunes substation.

LOCATION & IMPACTS

We fully support the harnessing and use of renewable energy sources, including low-impact community-based solar energy projects, proposed in the right locations.

But the area for the proposed solar farm is not the right location. On the immediate border of a number of houses and characterised by a mostly untouched "mato", this area includes wild shrubs and bushes, trees and wildflower meadows which house various species of orchids, and is graced by the presence of resident and migratory birds and other wild animals, who will become homeless and will not survive the destruction.

Classified as REN (National Ecological Reserve), this area has been identified by the national authorities as a 'strategic infiltration, protection and replenishing of the aquifers' zone of the Querença-Silves Aquifer system.

If construction of this project continues, significant and irreversible ecological and social impacts will take place, such as:

Completely ignored, but not deterred, for the last 5 years, the local community continues to have a number of concerns, including health impacts during the construction and operation phases. In our experience so far, there was and is no genuine desire to engage with the local community, contrary to what Authorities and the Promoter may state.

The choice of this site for the project is incomprehensible and full of disrespect to nature and the environment and does not conform with the words of the Promoter ("a site rigorously chosen aimed at identifying possible impacts on the fauna, flora, and archaeological sites"). We cannot destroy 96ha of wildlife (fauna and flora), in the name of fighting climate change and fulfilling targets and quotas for harnessing renewable energy sources. This is not a sustainable environmental project!

INJUSTICE. LEGAL ACTION. WE NEED YOUR HELP.

We now HAVE TO take legal action, but this is costly. While the local residents are contributing to these costs with what they can, we have a long way to go to achieving our first target of 12,000 Euros. The success of our legal challenge is not guaranteed, but our children and those who love the area will not forgive us if we do nothing!

We ask all individuals and organisations who see no sense in this unnecessary destruction and sympathise with our action to support us by donating what you can and however small, to our funds for the legal challenge. Please also share this with friends and family, and other individuals and organisations who may support our action and sentiments.

Your donation is the beginning of Largavista's journey towards success. Your early support inspires others to donate.

(This information was updated on 12 January, after the legal action was filed with the Loulé Court).