Still in the aftermath of the wildfires in Serra de Monchique, the Awake project, which was heavily affected by the fire, has begun planning the adaptation of the land to prevent future fires.
Among other measures, the construction of terraces and two new dams have been outlined. The terraces are designed to capture rainwater for the dams and to hydrate the secondary ridges. An existing dam has also been optimized with funneling trenches.
And there is even more to plan, including new dryland orchards in areas hydrated by the future dams!
The AwakeLand project is a regenerative community initiative located in the Serra de Monchique region of Portugal. It aims to create a sustainable and self-sufficient community that operates in harmony with the natural environment. The project was founded in 2018 and has been steadily growing since then, with a number of events, workshops, and collaborations taking place on the site.
One of the challenges faced by the AwakeLand project was the devastating wildfire that swept through the region in 2018, which heavily impacted the site. In response to this, the project turned to us, to help develop a post-fire plan and implement keyline design strategies.
Images above: Analysis maps for Awakeland
Keyline Design is an approach that looks at the landscape as a whole and focuses on creating conditions that reduce the speed of water, spread it to drier and eroded areas, and encourage infiltration. Terracrua Design worked with the AwakeLand team to develop a keyline design plan that would help prevent future wildfires and promote a healthy and resilient ecosystem.
Images above: Design maps for Awakeland