Alameda and Tagis: A Partnership for Pollinators

‍

Without pollinators, the human diet would collapse on a global scale—millions would be left with nothing to eat. Wild flora and fauna would likewise wither in a devastating chain reaction. Yet, irreplaceable as they are, these small workers face a profound crisis across Europe and far beyond.

The chief drivers of this crisis are habitat loss, urban sprawl, pesticides, and climate change. Coordinated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the latest European Red List confirms the magnitude of a problem that could assume catastrophic proportions unless reversed over the coming decades.

According to this assessment, over a quarter of European butterflies (28.3%) are currently threatened or near-threatened. In the last decade alone, the number of butterfly species at risk of extinction has surged by roughly 75%, with more than half already suffering the direct impact of a warming climate.

The plight of wild bees is no more encouraging: indeed, one in ten faces the risk of extinction. Among bumblebees—so vital for crops such as peas and beans—the proportion of threatened species now exceeds 20%. In this context, it is worth noting that 90% of Europe's flowering plants depend entirely on animal pollination.

Portugal is no stranger to such painful losses. The Madeira Large White (Pieris wollastoni), a butterfly endemic to our island of the same name, has recently been declared officially extinct. Unseen since 1986, its disappearance represents an irreparable loss for national biodiversity.

Despite all these threats, these insects continue to perform quiet, daily miracles—doing so free of charge, with intrinsic charm and matchless grace. More than half of the country's crops rely directly on their work. It is hardly surprising, then, that a landmark study by the University of Coimbra revealed that pollinators contribute over €2 billion annually to Portuguese agriculture.

Providing them with the optimal conditions to live and thrive is therefore paramount. By protecting pollinators, we safeguard our very survival and restore beauty to the countryside.

Driven by a belief in this vital bond, Quinta da Alameda has invited the scientific expertise of Tagis (the Butterfly Conservation Centre of Portugal) to guide us in creating habitats dedicated to butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

Founded in 2004, Tagis is an environmental non-governmental organisation and registered public utility entity. A member of Butterfly Conservation Europe, it is one of the few institutions in the country entirely dedicated to the study and conservation of butterflies and their habitats. Its expertise is complemented by leading academics and researchers, including those from cE3c at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon.

Through these initiatives and partnerships, Alameda aims to transform vast areas of the estate into living sanctuaries: wildflower meadows, nectar corridors, and thoughtfully designed refuges where these insects can find food, shelter, and breeding grounds. We will create richer, more vibrant, and far more colourful habitats.

The Estate already has a head start. Its meadows, water pastures, and woodlands harbour an active population of pollinators and numerous diurnal butterfly species, sustained by the ecological infrastructure that gives soul to this house. Reinforcing this through Tagis builds upon a long-held conviction: that the quality of wine springs from the health of the surrounding landscape. By protecting pollinators, Alameda protects the life that sustains its vineyards and orchards—promising to restore, with every passing season, a little more colour and beauty to the fields of the Dão.