Dona Ana beach in Lagos, stripped of its Gold Quality status by environmental organisation Quercus, has been stripped of much of its new sand by heavy seas over the past week.

This summer's €1.8 million project to increase the size of the sand area at Dona Ana beach managed to “significantly alter the beach’s natural landscape” and also “jeopardised the conservation of highly diversified marine ecosystems,” according to the organisation as 140,000m3 of sand was added.

Almargem are asking for your help and support to fund their campaigns on the devastation of the beach environment at Dona Ana, and also the lack of support from the local Camaras for the Via Algarviana.

Regardless of the difficulties it has experienced over recent years, Almargem Association has sought to stay along the path traced from its foundation in 1988 and that is guided by two main outlines:

- strive for a more ecologically balanced future for the Algarve, defending its natural and cultural heritage, denouncing the aggressions from what it has been the target or trying to avoid that they happen;
- contribute to the sustainable development of the Algarve by proposing or deploying projects aimed at increasing environmental awareness and improving economic conditions in the most deprived and desertified areas.

Portugal was a poor country with a hardworking people, who carefully took care of its resources. Families grew vegetables, harvested fruits and nuts. They were happy, had plenty of gold, no debts.

Since the EEC became UE and Portugal, against the practices of other small countries, did not ask for exceptions against the general Treat, corporations may register in Luxembourg or Holland and pay taxes there instead of here. As the larger chains of supermarkets operate all over the country and act as in cartels, with concerted prices and discounts and tough rules for their suppliers, these have no profits; they cannot invest in better products, in nothing.

Portugal was a poor country with a hardworking people, who carefully took care of their resources. Families grew vegetables, harvested fruits & nuts. They were happy, had plenty of gold, no debts, but there was no freedom of speech.

Since the ECC became UE and Portugal, against warnings and the choice of the best EU-economies today (UK, Sweden, Poland) accepted the Euro, huge private and public debts became and still are a burden. Also public corporations, earlier running with a profit, with almost no debts, entered a spiral of debts and losses, mainly because politicians, not managers, got onto the board.

Portugal was a poor country with a hardworking people, who carefully took care of their resources. Families grew vegetables, harvested fruits and nuts. They were happy, had plenty of gold, but there was no freedom of speech.

My relationship with Portugal dates back to 1979. The country has potential to be one of the best in Europe. SMEs offer excellent service for reasonable costs. Our small vineyards, honey producers, cheese, all food stuff have almost no chems and saviors sea and sun. What is missing?

Portugal was a poor country with a hardworking people, who carefully took care of their resources. Families grew vegetables, harvested fruits and nuts. They were happy, had plenty of gold, but there was no freedom of speech.

We have in Portugal one of the best environments for fishing in a huge maritime economic zone, with great variety of species.

The repair of the Pego do Inferno waterfall and pool in the countryside near Tavira has not happened, despite talk, more talk and years of promises to restore this much loved tourist destination.

A new video on YouTube concludes that 'the site is not worth viisiting, holidaymakers would be better off heading to a beach.'

Such has been the sloth of the authorities which claim to have tourism as a priority, until they have to spend any money, that a petition has been set up stop the site falling into to further disrepair.

Portugal once was a poor country with a hardworking people who carefully took care of their resources. Families grew vegetables, harvested fruits and nuts. They were happy, had plenty of gold, but there was no freedom of speech.

We have in Portugal one of the best environments for tourism in nature, with 3,000 hours of sunshine every year,  a good balance between sun and rain, a huge variety of flora and fauna, and beautiful lagoons and lakes where migratory birds land.