Institute of Urban and Regional Development

The Naturtejo Geopark (recognized by UNESCO in 2006) aims to revitalize a region of eastern Portugal with an important geological heritage and a rich cultural history. In May 2011, graduate students from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at the University of California, Berkeley partnered with anthropology, geology and landscape architecture students from the Universities of Minho (Braga) and Fernando Pessoa (Porto) to understand the dynamic relationships between geology, culture, economics and eco-tourism from an interdisciplinary perspective; and to recommend sustainable development strategies that support the region’s future.