A few days ago I had read some news about a project mainly addressed to tourism, called 'Laurel Forest Coast' ('Costa da Laurissilva') which, among other initiatives, would aim at recuperating the old cobblestone roads of a large part of the Northwestern coastline of Madeira. This being one of my favorite themes, it made me become very curious, having therefore asked for an interview with the Mayor of Porto Moniz, who gently shared with me the information he has at this startup stage.

 It is a joint project of the three Northern Madeira county councils: Porto Moniz, São Vicente and Santana, which main objective is to divulge all the aspects characteristic to the mentioned zones, attracting the tourist as well as the local's attention and making them become more and more interested to travel to the North side of the island and to stay there for a longer time than what has been usual until now. In short, contribute to the notion of decentralizing attraction centers, giving the visitor a range of initiatives and activities the North coast has a potencial capacity to offer. From walks to several outdoor activities such as climbing, canyoning and others, comprising also projects of scientific nature related to the biodiversity, comon denominator of which is the Laurel Forest, already awarded with the Mankind World Heritage reward, yet still able to offer more interesting points. Cumulatively, activities of cultural nature that may portrait the past  and the present times of the island life on the areas defined by the project.

The works connected to the initiative will be vast, comprising recuperation and improvement of "levadas", footpaths and old cobblestone roads, framing into the available countryside lodging, organization of fairs and exhibitions, extending the use of science and exhibition centers already available. Among the desirable consequences, obviously and through spreading out of events within this global picture, there will be a better and better knowledge of the Northern Madeira and activation of the local economy, extending to the global one in multiple sectors.