Category:FOOD FOREST | Fundação da Casa de Mateus is a new Community Food Forest initiative located in Mateus, Vila Real, Portugal. Launched in 2026 and currently moving from planning into early implementation, the project aims to create a sustainable food-production model that brings together biodiversity conservation, soil restoration, efficient use of natural resources and greater appreciation of local food, knowledge and traditions.
Developed within the historic and cultural landscape of Casa de Mateus, the initiative approaches the food forest as more than a productive space. It is conceived as a living environment for ecological regeneration, education, research, cultural exchange and community participation, connecting contemporary environmental action with the natural and cultural heritage of the institution.
The project is managed by Fundação da Casa de Mateus and currently involves approximately 15 people. Its foundation-led structure allows the food forest to become part of a broader programme of cultural, scientific, educational and public activities, while opening opportunities for the involvement of local communities, schools, researchers, environmental practitioners, heritage professionals and visitors.
The food forest will be developed through agroecological and permaculture principles, creating a diverse and interconnected landscape designed to work with natural processes. Its implementation will focus on restoring soil health, increasing biodiversity, improving the use of water and organic matter and developing a resilient form of local food production with reduced dependence on intensive external inputs.
Planned activities include food-forest design and implementation, environmental education, training and workshops, school programmes, research and experimentation, community events, biodiversity conservation, soil-restoration practices and public awareness initiatives. Community participation and co-creation will help connect scientific, practical and local forms of knowledge throughout the project’s development.
The initiative will also explore how a food forest can enrich the experience of Casa de Mateus as a cultural and educational destination. By integrating sustainable tourism with ecological interpretation, visitors will be able to engage with biodiversity, regenerative food systems and the relationship between landscape, heritage and local identity.
Its expected impact includes increased biodiversity, healthier soils, more efficient use of natural resources and the development of a sustainable local food-production model. The project also aims to strengthen environmental learning, community participation and collaboration between cultural, educational and scientific organisations. In the longer term, the experience generated at Casa de Mateus can provide a transferable model for other heritage institutions and Community Food Forest initiatives.
As a member of the European Community Food Forest Network, FOOD FOREST | Fundação da Casa de Mateus is interested in exchanging experience, participating in joint training and pilot projects and collaborating in research, documentation, environmental education and dissemination activities.
The project can contribute a distinctive perspective to the network by exploring the relationship between Community Food Forests, cultural heritage, biodiversity, sustainable tourism and local development. It welcomes collaboration with other food forests, educators, researchers, communities and European organisations interested in developing regenerative landscapes through shared knowledge and practical experimentation.
Fundação da Casa de Mateus, established in 1970, works to preserve the heritage of Casa de Mateus, support the study of its archives and promote cultural, scientific and educational activities with national and international reach.
Contact person: Alexandre Carvalho
Email: alexandre.carvalho@casademateus.pt
Telephone: +351 259 323 121
Website: https://www.casademateus.pt/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palaciodemateus/
FOOD FOREST is a European initiative creating and testing Community Food Forests as living spaces for regenerative food production, ecological restoration, education and social innovation.Through pilot sites in Artajona and Tallinn, partners from across Europe work with local communities to develop knowledge and models that can be replicated and scaled.
Connecting Community Food Forests, projects and practitioners across Europe.
welcomes collaboration with institutions, researchers, practitioners, communities and organisations working on regenerative landscapes, food systems and community-led innovation.
Rotary Forests supports FOOD FOREST as a Strategic Benefactor, contributing economic, technical, creative and infrastructure resources to the project and its digital platform.
