The coastal mountain range of Arrábida is a limestone massif with a Mediterranean microclimate exposed to the open Atlantic, located 30 km south of Lisbon. It was one of the natural warmer sanctuaries during the Ice Ages and has been used by Humankind since Palaeolithic times. This setting created a unique and diverse mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes, biodiversity and geodiversity, a place of outstanding beauty. This combination of factors led to the creation of the Nature Park of Arrábida covering 170 km2, including 50 km2 of a Marine Park). The are is subject to great pressure for tourism and recreation, because Arrábida is one of the few near-natural territories inside the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon. This paper reports on the development of the Nature Sports Chart of Arrábida. The goal of the project was to regulate visiting in the more sensitive areas of the Park, especially by outdoors enthusiasts: trekking, trail running, mountain biking, horse riding, rock climbing, caving, coasteering, bird- and dolphin-watching, snorkelling, scuba diving, kayaking, sailing, hang gliding and paragliding. The underlying philosophy is that a near-natural area subject to many pressures is best protected by people who love and live in it; hence, we must create conditions for low-impact visitation and the education of visitors, with some benefit for local inhabitants. Our methodology comprehended: literature review of best practice of outdoor sports in sensitive areas; identification and quantification of outdoor activities in Arrábida; identification of stakeholders (municipalities, nature sports clubs, federations who organize competitions, active tourism business, landowners, local inhabitants, official agencies like the maritime authority and the regional tourism office); personal meetings with key stakeholders; systematic review of actual and potential conflicts, both between users and with nature conservation restrictions; construction of an online platform and georeferenced data base; definition of preferred sites for outdoor activities based on best practice, careful management of conflicts and available public access. The most difficult task was the definition of trekking routes, because 90% of Arrábida is privately owned. Our strategy, put to practice with the willing cooperation of many stakeholders, was successful: we were able to generate a notable consensus, and the Nature Sports Chart is now ready for implementation, pending legal procedures. The Chart is one tool among a complex set of tools that includes land use planning, financing sources, fiscalization, and Nature conservation policy.
Keywords: Arrábida, outdoor sports, Nature conservation
