Carmo Wood, responsible for the original construction of the Paiva Walkways in 2015, was the company selected by the City of Arouca to guarantee the reconstruction of part of the route consumed by the fires last September 2024.
The Portuguese company, Europe’s leading company in treated wood, is now returning to Arouca to rebuild the approximately 600 metres of the stretch affected by the forest fires that have since led to the closure of part of the original route of this emblematic work.
Carmo Wood’s intervention includes replacing staircases and walkway segments consumed by the fire, as well as cleaning affected elements, ensuring the safety and environmental preservation of the surrounding area. The challenging location of the section in question will demand a lot from the Carmo Wood teams, who will have to carry and install all the material by land.
“It is with a huge sense of responsibility and dedication that we have taken on the reconstruction of the Paiva Walkways, an infrastructure that is so emblematic of national tourism and with which Carmo Wood has such a special relationship. Our vast experience in complex engineering projects and the fact that we know the terrain and its logistical challenges so well, combined with the desire to return this attraction to visitors as quickly as possible, are the guarantee of success for this new project”, says João Figueiredo, CEO of Carmo Wood Engineering.
The Paiva Walkways, internationally recognized and awarded 20 prizes, including the World’s Best Adventure Tourism Attraction for the seventh consecutive year at the World Travel Awards, is a reference in nature and adventure tourism.
João Figueiredo also warns that “The events of September 2024, like those of so many other years, unfortunately, remind us that even the most emblematic and award-winning infrastructures are vulnerable when environmental protection is neglected. Portugal must care for and protect its forest with the same dedication and commitment with which it protects its historical and cultural landmarks. Without forests, without nature, we lose not only emblematic infrastructures such as the Paiva Walkways; we have lost the essence of who we are as a country.”
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