Academic community came together to protect young cork oaks at Gambelas Campus

The main aim of the activity was to identify and protect the young cork oaks that germinated following the acorn planting carried out in February, preventing their inadvertent removal during campus maintenance activities and contributing to their preservation at a crucial stage of development.

The initiative brought together active members of the academic community, creating a meaningful moment of collective engagement in support of sustainability, ecological regeneration and biodiversity preservation. The activity was also attended by the Pro-Rector for Sustainability Sciences, Vânia Sousa, highlighting the University of Algarve’s institutional commitment to implementing sustainable practices and achieving the goals set out in its strategic plan.

In this first phase, approximately 120 young cork oak specimens were identified and marked, a positive outcome that strengthens the conditions for their ongoing monitoring and protection. In the coming weeks, more cork oaks are expected to be identified as new germinations continue to emerge across the campus.

More than a monitoring activity, this initiative symbolises the collective responsibility of caring for what has been planted and reflects, in a concrete way, the University of Algarve’s commitment to promoting a greener, more resilient campus aligned with the challenges of the ecological transition.