We are Anna and Dave, two environmentalists who had been working London office jobs for several years. We were becoming discontented with our lifestyles and wanted to be outdoors, helping people and wildlife. We decided to quit our jobs and have an adventure with a purpose. Having read about Rewilding Europe and the rewilding areas in Europe, we wanted to learn more about them, see the challenges and successes, and get involved.  So we set off on a bike tour!

The celebration of the 15^th anniversary of Associação Transumância e Natureza (ATN) on 12–14 June will mark the great progress that has been made with rewilding of the Côa Valley in the Portuguese part of the Western Iberia rewilding area. Among others, the Faia Brava Star Camp will be launched, a simple and imaginative bush camp beautifully located in the reserve, developed by local entrepreneurs with technical, financial and promotional support from Rewilding Europe.

Ever imagined standing in the Douro valley, hearing not a sound except those of nature itself, savouring the great Oporto wine, while the stars shine above your head? Soon it will be possible. Miles Away, a Portuguese enterprise expert on providing experiences in the Côa and Douro valleys, offers you a wildlife safari camp, and even without lions, there will be a lot of wildlife to discover and enjoy in this wild region of Portugal!

Spring is arising in Western Iberia rewilding area with spectacular scenery and beauty to be witnessed and enjoyed, as almond trees bloom creating a white coat that covers the steep slopes of the Côa valley.

End of February is always quite exciting in the Western Iberia rewilding area. It is time to start counting all the calves and foals which are born since December. And every year, the update is even better than the year before: 12 new Garrano foals and 5 Maronesa calves were born this season.

The Côa Valley Grand Route, a 200 km marked trail that crosses the entire Western Iberia, has been recently launched. The picturesque route connects the river from the spring to the mouth. This is the perfect opportunity for tourists and nature lovers to visit the Western Iberia rewilding area, enjoy its wildlife and discover the beautiful countryside of Portugal.

From 25 November to 15 December 2014, eleven local entrepreneurs in the Western Iberia rewilding area received specialised training for guiding tourists in the Faia Brava reserve. The main attendees were owners of local rural houses and tour operators, as well as several individuals from the region who have dreamt to become nature guides.

In the rural backcountry of Northeastern Portugal lies Castelo Rodrigo, a tiny village that any person will be delighted to visit and enjoy. It sits on a hilltop and offers spectacular views over the surrounding land. Land that has been dominated by man since millennia, but where wildlife is now beginning to come back.

There is a growing demand from society to cover the costs for nature conservation in more efficient and sustainable ways. Meanwhile, there is also a demand for new jobs in the often depopulating agricultural regions in Europe. To meet these demands, new education is needed to help develop a new breed of entrepreneurs who can start up and run new businesses based around wildlife, nature reserves and other wild or natural areas.

Early this spring we were the guests of the Faia Brava Reserve and of Campanários de Azaba Biological Reserve, Rewilding Europe’s two local partners in Western Iberia, right on the border between Spain and Portugal. Campanários de Azaba Biological Reserve, the two partners of Rewilding Europe in Western Iberia. Five fantastic days in the wilds.