Centenary Trees Route and Carbon Stock Calculation

The Opportunity

As part of the promotion of agritourism and ecotourism in São Lourenço dos Órgãos and of the Grandvaux Barbosa National Botanical Garden, an opportunity arose to structure and promote the municipality’s heritage of centenary trees, bringing together centenary species of great historical, scientific and tourism value.

The growing demand for nature and sustainable tourism experiences is an opportunity to turn this heritage into a distinctive tourism product, while at the same time strengthening environmental appreciation and awareness of biodiversity conservation.

Our Approach

The route is based on identifying, characterising and valuing the centenary trees found in different parts of the municipality, bringing together environmental, scientific and tourism information, and organising the trees identified into an environmental and scientific tourist route.

As part of this project, the carbon stock of the centenary trees identified was also calculated, reinforcing the recognition of these trees as environmental and climate assets.

Impact

The implementation of this route strengthens the region’s environmental and tourism value, helping to diversify the tourism offer and raising environmental awareness among communities and visitors, while promoting the conservation of centenary trees as ecological, cultural and climate assets.

Results

The project made it possible to identify, characterise and organise approximately 51 centenary and remarkable trees across 6 areas of the municipality of São Lourenço dos Órgãos, structuring an environmental and scientific tourist route. Detailed technical sheets were also produced, with environmental, scientific, territorial and tourism information on the specimens identified.

In addition, the carbon stock associated with the centenary trees identified was calculated, reinforcing recognition of their contribution to climate change mitigation and to the municipality’s natural capital.