{"id":27199,"date":"2025-06-04T14:50:48","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T14:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/?p=27199"},"modified":"2025-06-04T14:51:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T14:51:11","slug":"lixo-no-trilho-dos-pescadores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/lixo-no-trilho-dos-pescadores\/","title":{"rendered":"Litter on the Fishermen\u2019s Trail: From Concern to Problem"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_custom_heading text_size=”h3″]<\/p>\n

New <\/span>hiker<\/span> profile<\/span>, more <\/span>litter<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> trail<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text]Celebrated<\/span> worldwide<\/span> for <\/span>the<\/span> stunning<\/span> landscapes<\/span> it<\/span> crosses, <\/span>the<\/span> Fishermen\u2019s<\/span> Trail<\/span> remains<\/span> a <\/span>timeless<\/span> destination<\/span>, <\/span>attracting<\/span> more <\/span>and<\/span> more <\/span>hikers<\/span> each<\/span> year<\/span>. <\/span>However<\/span>, <\/span>this<\/span> growing<\/span> number<\/span> of<\/span> users<\/span> \u2014 <\/span>along<\/span> with<\/span> an<\/span> apparent<\/span> shift<\/span> in <\/span>their<\/span> profile<\/span> \u2014 <\/span>has<\/span> led to a <\/span>worsening<\/span> issue<\/span>: <\/span>there<\/span> is<\/span> more <\/span>litter<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> Fishermen\u2019s<\/span> Trail<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This is not a problem exclusive to Rota Vicentina\u2019s trails, but the presence of litter \u2014 particularly toilet paper and synthetic wipes \u2014 has become increasingly noticeable on the Fishermen\u2019s Trail.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to its \u201cphotogenic and Instagrammable\u201d nature, the Fishermen\u2019s Trail has become a phenomenon, especially among those \u201clooking to enjoy its beauty, many of whom are hiking for the first time,\u201d says the President of the Rota Vicentina Association.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Litter has always been a concern for Rota Vicentina. The 2023 Ecological Monitoring Study<\/a><\/strong> detected a low average of two pieces of litter per trail. At that time, \u201cwe didn\u2019t see it as a real problem,\u201d says Marta Cabral. So, what has changed so quickly? And why?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=”27165″][\/vc_single_image][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_custom_heading]<\/p>\n

A <\/span>new<\/span> user<\/span> profile<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text]According to the President of the Rota Vicentina Association, the change is not just in the number of hikers, but also in their profile: \u201cFor a long time, the typical Rota Vicentina user was an experienced hiker, with a strong environmental awareness.\u201d That now seems to be changing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Famous as it is, the Fishermen\u2019s Trail is reaching many people \u201csometimes without the information and awareness that should be inherent to the experience. There\u2019s a lack of sensitivity to these issues, and it\u2019s very difficult to communicate because, often, visitors don\u2019t come through our information channels,\u201d she adds.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The challenge, in this context, \u201cis that we all need to grow together as a society. Each person thinks their waste is \u2018just one piece,\u2019 and it\u2019s hard to grasp the full scale and global impact of our behaviour,\u201d she says.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=”27178″][\/vc_single_image][vc_custom_heading]<\/p>\n

We<\/span> need<\/span> collective<\/span> mobilisation<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text]Committed to doing everything within its power to minimise this issue, Rota Vicentina has, since its inception, engaged in targeted promotional efforts paired with awareness-raising across the entire trail network.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It also promotes volunteer walks for litter collection, involving citizens and volunteers in a process that is both corrective and educational.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, other solutions are being considered. Trail signage could be significantly improved, says Marta Cabral, but that would require public entities to take on maintenance responsibilities. Currently, she notes, \u201cmaintaining the existing signage already represents a substantial burden for the Association.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The installation of toilets along the trails is often proposed as a solution, but their presence would require an effective maintenance and cleaning service that, for now, \u201cthe territory cannot ensure,\u201d she explains.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know we can\u2019t control everything that happens on the trails, and we rely on initiatives, individuals, and organisations to help us manage this situation \u2014 it\u2019s everyone\u2019s responsibility, just as these paths belong to everyone.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She concludes: \u201cWe are learning \u2014 as hosts, as residents, as a working community \u2014 how to respond to these challenges, without losing hope in tourism as a space for learning, exchange, and hospitality.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row unlock_row_content=”” row_height_percent=”0″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″ back_color=”#0fc3b1″][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_custom_heading text_size=”h3″]Larissa Ohl: \u201c<\/span>We<\/span> need<\/span> better<\/span> signage<\/span> for <\/span>the<\/span> Natural <\/span>Park<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong>[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text]A marine <\/span>biologist<\/span> by<\/span> training <\/span>and<\/span> nature<\/span> guide<\/span> by<\/span> choice<\/span>, Larissa Ohl, <\/span>of<\/span> Hike<\/span><\/a><\/strong> in Alentejo<\/strong> \u2014 a Rota Vicentina <\/span>member<\/span> company<\/span> \u2014 <\/span>has<\/span> been<\/span> walking<\/span> the<\/span> trails<\/span> she<\/span> knows<\/span> intimately<\/span> since<\/span> 2019.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=”27190″]\u00a0[\/vc_single_image][vc_column_text]The increasing presence of litter on the Fishermen\u2019s Trail is, for her, undeniable: \u201cIt wasn\u2019t this bad before. People had a certain ecological awareness and would take their litter with them. Sadly, that\u2019s no longer the case, especially with unguided groups who, in my opinion, often don\u2019t even realise they\u2019re inside a Natural Park.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Larissa believes stronger signage around the Park\u2019s perimeter could help influence hikers\u2019 behaviour regarding environmental care \u2014 although she acknowledges this is not an issue exclusive to the Fishermen\u2019s Trail.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a global problem. Many hikers I talk to say it\u2019s the same in their own countries, though with one difference: many companies provide a small bag for people to put their used toilet paper in,\u201d she notes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Toilet paper is the biggest issue. \u201cOther types of waste are rare. People eat snacks or have picnics, but they usually take that waste with them. What they don\u2019t realise is the impact toilet paper causes \u2014 they think it\u2019s just one piece that will disappear.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a nature guide, Larissa starts her hikes by explaining to visitors the specific characteristics and sensitivities of the area they\u2019re exploring \u2014 a care that, she says, not all tour operators take.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMany companies see this as a way to make quick money. They bring in vans full of people, often violating the rule that prohibits groups larger than 15. The Rota Vicentina brand sells well.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is, therefore, much awareness-raising to be done \u2014 particularly among tour operators \u2014 but also in terms of increasing monitoring and protecting the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park (PNSACV), under the responsibility of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), which, according to Larissa, should be more engaged with the issues affecting the park.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She calls for \u201cmobilisation, a joint effort\u201d from all the entities responsible for the Natural Park to find solutions to these identified problems.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lixo no Trilho dos Pescadores<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":27152,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[108],"tags":[210,209,314,139,147,302,300,238,141,140],"tipos":[105],"destaques":[138],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27199"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27199"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27201,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27199\/revisions\/27201"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27199"},{"taxonomy":"tipos","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tipos?post=27199"},{"taxonomy":"destaques","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rotavicentina.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destaques?post=27199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}