Problem situation
- 2. SEIA N S WE Located on the west slope of Serra da Estrela, Seia is 550 m above sea level.
- 3. The climate in the region is temperate, summers are mild and winters are cold, with very low temperatures and snowfalls, which can be ocasionally heavy, in the highest points of Serra da Estrela.
- 4. as well as a scenery of unique beauty, where the mountain, the water and the small scattered villages play a role. The municipality has got monuments of historical and architectural interest,
- 5. It has also got some cultural facilities
- 6. and the local products are another major attraction.
- 7. Factors, including the collapse of agricultural income, the closure of many textile factories and the lack of job opportunities, have changed the balance of framework which has existed for centuries.
- 8. The population has left this municipality
- 9. Such problems have been contributing to the depopulation of these areas. Villages have been abandoned. Let’s see this situation…
- 10. Established in the 16th century, this village was founded by a family of shepherds and farmers who chose this pleasant location to settle in. It is located on the slope of Serra da Estrela, with access to the highest point of the mountain, half an hour from Seia.
- 11. Houses show neglect and abandonment. At present, the school is closed, as there isn´t any child left. There are only six people living there now.
- 12. Visiting this village is a real experience of going back in time: typical houses with walls and roofs made of schist, narrow streets and stepped passageways, everything surrounded by farms on slopes in a small, green, sunny valley!
- 14. Problem How to promote the sustainable development of this village? Which intervening strategies to use?