REN joins Movimento ECO

REN has once again joined Movimento ECO - Empresas Contra os Fogos (Companies against Fires), a programme to step up prevention of forest fires and raise public awareness of high-risk behaviour. It is an appeal for a change of attitude to mobilise society and the business world.

This is the eighth Movimento ECO, a nationwide civic movement in which a number of companies operating in Portugal are involved. Its president is Francisco Murteira Nabo and it enjoys the support of the Ministry of Internal Administration and Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fishery.

REN recognises its responsibility in preventing and fighting wildfires, as part of the national forest fire strategy and as defined by law. This is a way of “raising landowners' awareness of the importance of clearing their land and alerting them to high-risk behaviour that can cause wildfires,' said João Gaspar, head of REN's Access and Asset Department. He added that, according to data from Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e Florestas (Institute for Conservation of Nature and Forests), most fires are caused by negligence.

As part of its management of line corridors, back in 2009 in the construction phase REN took another measure: conversion of the line protection strip. This involved planting vegetal species offering greater compatibility with the operation of the lines. João Gaspar recognises that this measure has been accepted by landowners, who continue to get some income from their property. It also allows REN to reduce fire hazards and the number of interventions in the strip.