Representatives from Tavira council, Tavira’s ‘Ciência Viva’ centre and the Almargem environmental association have committed to work as one, to sort out the Pego do Inferno beauty spot and environs, that were blighted by fire in 2012.
At a meeting on Thursday, to discuss the Asseca valley, the delegates were presented with a document written three years ago by Rita Borges from the science centre in Tavira, which reported on a survey of the problems at Pego do Inferno such as overcrowding and litter.
Jorge Botelho, the mayor of Tavira, said that he had wanted to rebuild the access route to the pool and waterfall, but had changed his mind as renewing the natural surroundings seemed a better first step.
The mayor wants to keep people from enjoying the Pego do Inferno pool and waterfall, but "it is in all the guide books and people just keep turning up despite the tricky access," according to the mayor
Members of the public attending the meeting suggested, variously, closing the site, charging an entry fee, or setting a daily visitor limit, but no decision was arrived at.
The consensus was to call for a working group to be set up, with representatives from the bodies present, plus the Vale de Asseca land owner, the Portuguese Environment Agency and the Institute for Forestry and Nature.
The failure to find a solution to the problems associated with the popular rural tourist site seems to be due to council lethargy. A workable solution, after a five year wait, appears to be as elusive as ever.
24 April 2017
August 1, 2017
'Limited access planned for Tavira's Pego do Inferno beauty spot'
2nd November 2017