Voluntary contribution to ecological restoration projects
Parques de Sintra – Monte da Lua, S.A. (PSML) manages a collection of monuments and forest areas that have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995, including approximately 946 hectares distributed across 9 forest areas and enclosed woodland estates.
In 2024–2025, PSML welcomed around 3 million visitors per year, with the majority of visitors coming from international markets (approximately 75%).
As part of its commitment to environmental sustainability and the active management of the forest heritage under its responsibility (approximately 946 hectares across 9 forest areas and enclosed woodland estates), PSML has developed a methodology to estimate the carbon footprint associated with visits to its monuments.
A carbon footprint calculator has been created to help visitors understand the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their journey to Sintra. Through this simple simulator, visitors can estimate their travel-related emissions and decide whether they wish to make a voluntary contribution to support PSML's forest management and ecological restoration programme.
About this voluntary contribution
This is a voluntary donation to PSML's forest management and ecological restoration programme. It is not a carbon offset, does not represent a certified carbon credit, and does not replace or cancel the emissions generated by your journey. The donation is not eligible for regulatory reporting (CSRD, CDP, GRI) and is not associated with voluntary carbon market standards such as Verra VCS, Gold Standard, Plan Vivo, or ART/TREES.
To help you determine an appropriate contribution, we provide a calculator that estimates the greenhouse gas emissions associated with your journey to Sintra. The estimates are based on a carbon footprint calculation tool developed by Get2C specifically for PSML.
The estimated emissions are provided for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a technical equivalence or as the "neutralisation" of those emissions. The most effective way to reduce the impact of your visit remains reducing emissions at the source, for example by choosing lower-carbon transport options.
Where your contribution goes
The full amount of every donation is allocated to ecological restoration projects on PSML properties, namely Tapada do Saldanha and Tapada de D. Fernando. These projects contribute to increasing the carbon sequestration capacity of the forests managed by PSML, as part of the company's broader commitment to reducing its own operational emissions.
About the carbon sequestration estimates
The estimates of current and projected carbon sequestration (up to 2050) for the areas managed by PSML are based on a 2026 study carried out by the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, coordinated by Professor Paula Soares, entitled "Quantification of CO₂ Stocks and Estimation of Their Evolution over a 25-Year Horizon in the Areas Managed by PSML".
Transparency
Every contribution is recorded and accounted for. Donations received are reported in aggregate and regularly updated on the project's webpage, including information on the allocation of funds and the progress of restoration activities.