Reforestation

Welcome to Our Reforestation Initiative

In recent years, Portugal has swung between drought and extreme fire weather and when forests burn, decades of stored carbon go back to the sky in days. In 2024 alone, 137,651 hectares burned nationwide, four times more than 2023.

What this means
Planting native, drought-fit trees and caring for them long term is no longer optional. It is how we rebuild firebreaks, stitch wildlife habitat back together and restore communities.

Why forests matter

Forests are Europe’s quiet power stations. They pull carbon from the air, shade overheated towns, slow floodwater, and stitch wildlife corridors back together.
Stand under an oak in July and you feel it. Cooler air. Softer light. Life returning.
From Lisbon rooftops to mountain villages, trees make places more livable and futures more certain.

What we do at Happy Hectares

We restore native Mediterranean woodlands in Central Portugal with a simple approach that lasts.

Right tree, right place: native species such as Portuguese oak, cork oak, and medronho.
Care beyond planting: establishment watering, protection from browsing, and a 50-year stewardship promise with replacements if a tree fails.
Local first: we work with landowners, municipalities, and community groups to select priority sites and maintain them for the long term.
Honest impact: we publish conservative, evidence-based estimates of carbon stored by living trees and share annual updates. No offsets or “neutral” claims.

Join us in our mission to restore and revitalize our forests. Together, we can make a positive impact on the health of our planet and ensure a brighter future for all.

Join the

Happy Hectares Tree Tribe

Who We Are

We’re Happy Hectares, a passionate, Portuguese lead team dedicated to restoring wildfire-scarred landscapes. We’ve seen the devastation firsthand, and we’re committed to rebuilding our natural heritage.

Our Mission

Restore our land: Plant native trees to revive damaged ecosystems.

Support communities: Strengthen local resilience and create lasting benefits for future generations.

Share our progress: Provide real-time updates and interactive tracking of our reforestation efforts.

What We Do

Native Tree Planting:
We focus on planting indigenous tree species that naturally restore local habitats and strengthen soil and water health.

Agroforestry Techniques:
Our methods integrate tree planting with sustainable agriculture, creating a living, breathing mosaic of crops, livestock, and native forestry that supports community well-being.

Regenerative Practices:
By employing selective planting and regenerative land management, we repair damaged ecosystems and help maintain a balanced natural environment.

Community-Driven Impact:
Based in Sertã, Castelo Branco, our team is proud to be Portuguese and deeply connected to the land. We share real-time updates and interactive progress trackers so you can see the difference your support makes—one tree at a time.