The first trees of the Bosque CineEco have been planted in Seia, beginning a project intended to create a woodland setting for outdoor cinema at Quinta da Nogueira.
According to the festival’s account, filmmakers and guests planted 32 native trees on the morning of 11 October 2026, one for each edition of the CineEco – Festival Internacional de Cinema Ambiental da Serra da Estrela.
The planting was announced in Beira.pt’s preview of this year’s festival. Its completion gives the programme a physical legacy that will remain after the screenings finish.
Native trees and continuing care
The species planted were hawthorn, Portuguese laurel, birch and rowan. The festival says they were selected with the Centro de Interpretação da Serra da Estrela (CISE) and municipal services for their suitability to the region’s climate and soil.
The council organised the planting with CISE’s support, and a sign identifying the Bosque CineEco was installed.
Organisers say future editions will return to Quinta da Nogueira to care for the woodland and monitor its growth. The project therefore includes a commitment to continuing maintenance as the trees become established.
A cinema space for the future
The land is being converted into an area for leisure and public use. The longer-term ambition is an auditorium shaped by the landscape, where some festival films could eventually be screened among the trees.
Organisers describe this as a development for the coming years, once the woodland has grown. The announcements provide no opening date for the proposed cinema space.
Cinema rooted in the region
The 32nd CineEco runs until 17 October. Seia council confirms that admission is free and that the programme combines environmental films with educational activities and opportunities for discussion.
Its regional connections include Lições de Fogo, by John Webster, filmed in Castelo Branco and Sabugueiro, in the municipality of Seia.
The festival’s full programme lists screenings and venues. Alongside that temporary programme, the new woodland establishes a continuing link between CineEco and Seia’s public landscape.
