Communal Lands of Froxán
Rías Baixas Land Restoration
A COMMUNITY-LED RESTORATION PROJECT IN GALICIA, SPAIN
Returning Native Forest and Wildlife to Lands Damaged by Mining and Timber Industries
Devastated by deforestation that led to major loss in biodiversity; overwhelmed with invasive eucalyptus, acacia and pine plantations from pulp and paper manufacturers; nearly burned by wildfires, twice - the communal lands of Froxán, Galicia have been through the ringer.
Despite its history, the local community continues their years-long efforts in reviving the land and helping it thrive once again as a natural Galician coastal ecosystem.
Terra Retreats has joined forces with the local NGO, Fundación Montescola, and the Froxán community to create a unique 20-unit landscape hotel nestled gently within their land restoration area. This partnership makes you an integral part of the story of this community's revival while providing a sustainable, long-term source of funding for their vital restoration work. You can even spend a day hacking away with their De-eucalyptising Brigades.
Stay with us and join the Brigades!
“Come here, enjoy, contribute, learn. It’s a day to be together and have a great time. It’s addictive”
From 2018, this film offers a glimpse into the inspiring work of the De-eucalyptising Brigades volunteers as they joyfully collaborate to reclaim the landscape of Froxán, removing invasive eucalyptus and planting native trees. Picture our future cabins harmoniously integrated into the, now, maturing native forest that unfolds across this sloping terrain. Your stay provides a special opportunity to join the Brigades and experience the fun of collective environmental stewardship.
Learn more
Resumen TV | Amigos da Terra Galicia | Historical Society of San Finx
Our Partners
Established in 2018 in Froxán, Fundación Montescola (the words “monte” (mountain/forest) and “escola” (school) together), is a local non-profit organization dedicated to community conservation and the defense of nature. Montescola has developed a unique hands-on approach to ecosystem restoration involving thousands of volunteers, schools, and communities.
The 100-hectare Froxán Common Woodlands is directly cared for by the families who lived in the village for centuries. After decades of state control and environmental degradation, the community regained rights over these ancestral lands and has self-managed the Commons since 2012. Their restoration and conservation efforts gained international recognition in 2017 when the UN Environment Programme listed Froxán as Spain's first ICCA (Indigenous and Community Conserved Area), establishing it as a model for community-led conservation.
This film chronicles the community's ongoing, years-long mission to restore biodiversity to their lands by replacing invasive pine, acacia, and eucalyptus plantations with native species like chestnuts, Common Alder, European Ash, Bay Laurel, Common Oak, and Pyrenean Oak, and by revitalizing degraded peat wetlands.
CREATE CHANGE WITH US
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CREATE CHANGE WITH US •
Are you a landowner looking to restore and reenerate your land while hosting a hospitality venture?
A farmer exploring agrotourism to support your transition to regenerative practices? An NGO dedicated to rewilding and land restoration? Or an investor passionate about supporting mission-driven businesses?
We’d love to connect—please share some details below and we will be in touch.