“We have a two-step process. Now we have seven routes being charged for and from January 1st the others will be classified, under the management of the State Government, through the Institute of Forestry and Nature Conservation”, explained the regional secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment.

Rafaela Fernandes went to Pico do Areeiro, in the central mountain massif of the island of Madeira, to mark the entry into force of the tax, charged now for all tourists over 12 years old.

“It is worth noting that neither residents will pay this fee, nor economic operators who have a protocol [until the end of the year] signed with the Forestry Institute”, she clarified.

From January 2025, however, only residents are exempt from paying the fee, which will then be charged on the more than 30 routes classified under the management of the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (ICNF) of Madeira.

For now, the Pico do Areeiro trail, the Pico Ruivo trail, the Levada do Risco, the Levada do Caldeirão Verde, the Balcões trail, the Levada do Rei and the Ponta de São Lourenço trail are on the list.

Rafaela Fernandes explained that the resources will be used to clean and maintain the routes and considered that the measure is well accepted by tourists, indicating that fines of up to €50 will be applied to those who do not pay.

“We are, at the moment, carrying out a process involving two dozen collaborators to raise awareness about this payment”, he said, explaining that ICNF’s action will, for now, be pedagogical.

Payment can be made via the Simplifica platform, managed by the State Government, or directly at locations where there are ICNF stations, with the possibility of changing routes.

The Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment recalled that the SIMplifica platform is already widely used by tourists to schedule various activities, such as diving.