Pico Ruivo, the highest point in Madeira and one of the most sought-after trails by visitors, is being transformed into a rubbish dump by tourists and hikers.
A photograph sent to local newspaper, JM, shows the peak filled with padlocks, towels, cutlery, masks, and other belongings, which raises concerns about the environmental impact and the desecration of this natural space, at the end of the route between Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo.
The actions has led guides to ask if this is the right type of tourism for Madeira, urging “serious penalty measures,” including fines to stop people from littering the area and ruining it for everyone else. Furthermore, the penalties, they say, could be used to raise awareness among visitors and protect the walk’s natural beauty.
The phenomenon of symbolic padlocks, which can be found in various parts of the world, threatens the balance between attracting tourists and the environmental preservation of the island, especially when these objects are joined by belongings that generate an accumulation of rubbish.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
Photo: JM
