SAVE BARROSO
Barroso Region & History
Barroso is a beautiful region in northern Portugal including the Boticas and Montalegre municipalities. The area is also known as "Tras Montes" in Portuguese, which means "behind the mountains."
The region traces its history back well over one thousand years. It has existed as a formal administrative division of Portugal since 1273. Families can trace their connection to the area for countless generations in many cases spanning hundreds of years.
Barroso is a rural area where local communities are self-sufficient, relying on agricultural practices honed over generations with a unique culture. Barroso was designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) in 2018 by the UN, the only region in Portugal with that designation and one of only 7 in Europe.
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The New York Times profiled the region in a travel article in 2020
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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/23/travel/barroso-portugal-agriculture.html

Barroso People
The people of Barroso are proud and self-sufficient. They simply want to be left alone. They unambiguously oppose the proposed mines given the environmental impact will directly impact their livelihoods. They feel overmatched by the larger forces pushing for these mines. They do not want to be a "sacrifice zone" that bears the brunt of the impact from the global need for lithium. When you drive through Barroso, you see signs everywhere that say "Nao a Mina, Sim a Vida", which means "no to the mine, yes to life". It accurately reflects their view this is an existential threat to their way of life. They desperately need our help.