Time for information, culture and education

During the 20th century, Portugal's waterways benefited from the close and constant care of river wardens: figures of authority who patrolled the banks daily, mediated conflicts, and ensured the preservation of this common good, named after the bird whose presence signals the good ecological condition of a river. The profession was abolished in 1995.

In recent years, in an attempt to meet the increasingly urgent challenges of preserving water resources, new river wardens have emerged across the country: symbolically named after their ancestors, they are modern professionals with technological tools and specialized knowledge who look after the rivers and challenge local populations to become guardians of their waterways.

Divided into four acts, we tell the story of the kingfisher's past and present, in the first person, through text and images.

This report was produced as part of a journalism grant. Gerador GEOTA, funded by DIMFE – Donors' Initiative for Mediterranean Freshwater Ecosystems.