According to the NGDO, this practice, which has increased in recent years, poses a "real threat to the natural regeneration of these sensitive areas, compromising the balance of the entire coastal system."

"The destruction of dunes caused by horseback riding is one of the new threats that is putting the dune systems of the Alentejo coast at risk," denounces the organisation, which periodically carries out decontamination operations throughout the year along the more than 60 kilometres of sand between Tróia and Sines.

Despite admitting that there are "visible signs of a steady decrease in waste collected in recent years," horseback riding in dune areas is causing concern for the Sea Brigade.

"Greater awareness and responsibility in the use of the coastal strip are essential. When horses roam dune vegetation, they destroy roots and compact the soil, hindering recovery and exacerbating erosion, in addition to posing a threat to bird nesting," warns Simão Acciaioli, head of Brigada do Mar.

According to this organisation, the dune complex is "essential for the preservation of biodiversity and acts as a natural barrier against marine erosion, protecting beaches and coastal ecosystems," meaning its destruction could have "irreversible impacts, both on local fauna and flora and on the stability of the coastline itself."