CARMIM

The exclusive financial support to the reforesting of the Mata Nacional da Herdade da Parra in the Algarve is a major example of the social responsibility that Carmim assumes in its major strategic options.

Situated in the Borough of S. Marcos da Serra, District of Silves, the Herdade da Parra was one of the areas most affected by the wave of fires which occurred in the Summer 2005 and Carmim contributed to this cause through the campaign “Colheita de Fundos 2005 – Choose your Cause”.

In this social responsibility initiative, Carmim sought to minimise the material damages deriving from said wave of fires, supporting the reforesting of burnt areas. For each bottle sold of four brands of red wine of Carmim - Terras d’El Rei red, Reguengos DOC red, Monsaraz red and Reguengos Reserve - 10 cents was donated, having achieved a fund of 217,500 euros which reverted to one of the causes elected for support by the public (around 90,000 voters): the reforesting of burn areas.

The reforesting areas, which have already been completed, were the responsibility of the company “Floresta Bem Cuidada” from Guarda, which, following a public tender promoted by the DGRF and Carmim, was selected from a total of 9 competing bids, having been classified first in accordance with an evaluation in terms of technical worth, works price and term for completion.

These works had an important component of innovation since it is the first time that the tree excavation and planting machine called “rectro-aranha” was used in Portugal, a versatile piece of equipment which may operate on ground with a very steep inclination.

The reforested area with cork oak, cluster pine and cypress stands at 98.25 hectares.

In this area it is basically intended to promote the replacement or recovery of the production potential and the rehabilitation of degraded forest ecosystems by way of actions stretching from the clearance of settlements and burnt material to the reforesting and control of forests as well as the seeding of improved crops in the soil, ensuring better conditions of future development and feasibility of the settlements.

The prevention of fires is also foreseen both by the reduction of combustible material in underplanting, and by the construction of a combustible reduction strip (FRC), with a width of no less than 100m where it is intended not only to remove fuel from the surface, but also to eliminate the from the lower part of the tree tops and low density planting. Also envisaged is the protection of water lines through the planting of riparian species.

It should be remembered that the Carmim campaign also provided 50,000 euros to equip the fire brigades, with the National Service used said sum for the SALVO project which seeks to localise forest fire-fighting vehicles by way of a GPS system installed in the vehicles.

The remaining 50,000 euros were attributed to Pampilhosa da Serra, part whereof has already been channelled for the remodelling of a recovered house for the reaccommodation of a family of 4 and for the acquisition of a motor grader for clearance of drainage channels, trails and aqueducts so as to prevent the breaking out of future forest fires.

With the participation of 90,000 consumers, the CARMIM campaign took place between September 16th and December 24th 2005 and sought form a fund to support fire-fighting.