Open to the public from 29 May to 14 June 2026, The Last Forest marked the exhibition’s debut in Portugal. At its centre stood 90 real trees destroyed by fire, including eucalyptus, pine, oak and chestnut trees.
Rather than presenting visitors with facts and figures alone, the exhibition invited them to move through an immersive route combining art, technology and environmental education. Sound, heat, wind and aromas brought the experience of a damaged forest closer, allowing visitors not only to observe the effects of fire but also to feel the emotional weight of what had been lost.
The installation addressed one of the most significant environmental challenges affecting Portugal.
Forest fires can cause lasting damage to biodiversity, landscapes, soils, water resources and air quality. They can destroy habitats, weaken ecosystems and disrupt the lives of the communities that depend on them. Their consequences may be immediate, but the recovery of a forest can take many years.
Preventing fires and creating more resilient territories requires more than an emergency response. It depends on sustainable forest management, ecological restoration, effective surveillance and communities that understand both the risks and their own role in reducing them.
Traditional awareness campaigns, however, do not always create a strong emotional connection with the public.
The Last Forest sought to overcome this challenge by turning environmental information into a sensory experience. By placing visitors among real fire-damaged trees, the exhibition made forest degradation tangible. The issue was no longer distant or abstract. It surrounded them.
The experience encouraged visitors to reflect on what is lost when a forest burns, but also on what can still be protected. It drew attention to the importance of fire prevention, responsible forest management and the preservation of native species and natural habitats.
The exhibition also created a link between reflection and future action.
Visitors were invited to participate in upcoming reforestation activities using native species, helping transform environmental awareness into direct community involvement. In this way, the initiative did more than tell the story of trees that had been destroyed. It encouraged people to consider the part they could play in helping a new one grow.
Águeda demonstrates that the green transition is not driven by infrastructure and policy alone. It also depends on people understanding what is at stake and feeling motivated to act.
The approach is particularly relevant to other cities and regions facing wildfire risks, biodiversity loss or broader climate pressures. It shows how public space, art and technology can be combined to communicate complex environmental challenges in a way that is accessible, memorable and locally meaningful.