The BioImpact+ project returned in 2026 with a new collaborative session dedicated to the relationship between renewable energies, biodiversity and sustainable development of territories, this time in Paredes de Coura.

Promoted by APREN – the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association, in partnership with BE Bioinsight & Ecoa | PT, this second edition had the support of the Paredes de Coura City Council and ACHLI – the Association for the Conservation of the Iberian Wolf Habitat.

The initiative's main objective wasto showcase concrete projects and results that demonstrate how the energy transition can coexist with nature conservation, through monitoring mechanisms, impact mitigation, and the involvement of local communities.

During the session, the work developed by ACHLI over the last two decades in the conservation of the Iberian wolf and in the sustainable management of the territory was presented, in conjunction with renewable energy projects, namely wind farms.

Among the main results presented, the following stand out:

• A 95% reduction in livestock losses caused by wolf attacks since 2014, through the integration of 130 livestock protection dogs;
• Monitoring of 21 Iberian wolf packs and 46 energy projects since 2006;
• Intervention in 712 hectares of forest and planting of more than 190,000 native trees;
• Creation of no-hunting zones in areas critical for the Iberian wolf;
• Reintroduction of 129 roe deer to strengthen the ecosystem and reduce attacks on livestock.

The session was opened by the Mayor of Paredes de Coura, Tiago Cunha, and included speeches from representatives of APREN, ACHLI, academia, public entities, the business sector, and the local community.

The event brought together representatives from parish councils, residents' associations, renewable energy promoters, CCDRs (Regional Coordination and Development Commissions), state entities in the energy and environment sector, researchers, and local residents, promoting a broad debate on the role of renewable energies in the environmental and socioeconomic development of territories.

BioImpacte+ aims to continue identifying and leveraging the opportunities that the renewable energy sector offers to biodiversity, promoting collaborative solutions and best practices that integrate environmental sustainability into the development of energy projects.