Dunes and sea turtles put the brakes on construction along Boa Vista's south-west coast

A coastline protected by law

Curral Velho and the Viana desert are classified as a nature reserve.

Land outside the reserve comes at a higher price

The price of land bordering protected areas has risen from 6,000 to 14,000 CVE/m².

Developers versus environmental regulations

Several developers have had licences rejected for failing to meet nesting-distance requirements.

A difficult balance

The industry is calling for a review of the reserve boundaries in light of growing demand.

Environmental authorities defend the current boundaries

Officials at Boa Vista's nature park maintain that classifying Curral Velho and the Viana desert as a nature reserve is essential to protect one of the largest loggerhead turtle nesting concentrations in the Atlantic. Environmental technicians explain that any expansion of developable land would endanger an ecosystem that also draws a significant share of the island's nature tourism. Local conservation organisations, together with international volunteers who help monitor the beaches during nesting season, back keeping the current boundaries unchanged. For these organisations, property-market pressure should not be allowed to compromise a level of protection they consider non-negotiable.

Developers call for case-by-case flexibility

Property developers operating near the reserve's boundaries acknowledge the area's environmental value, but are calling for more detailed studies to identify lower-sensitivity areas where limited construction could be authorised. Some point to experiences on other islands in the archipelago, where tourism activity is made compatible with environmental protection through minimum distances from nesting beaches. The island administration responds that any review of the boundaries would first require new, independent scientific studies before it could even be considered. For now, the debate remains open, with no date set for a possible regulatory review.

Rising prices for neighbouring land

The shortage of developable land outside the reserve has sent prices soaring on plots closest to its boundaries, where the rise from 6,000 to 14,000 CVE per square metre reflects the pressure of demand that finds no alternatives elsewhere on the island. Estate agents say this trend has intensified over the past two years, coinciding with new tourism projects on Boa Vista's east coast. Owners of land in this strip acknowledge having received offers far higher than those they were considering just a few years ago. The phenomenon worries municipal authorities, who fear a price escalation that would be difficult to reverse.

Rejected licences and ongoing litigation

Several development companies have taken legal action over the rejection of licences for failing to meet the minimum distances required from nesting areas, in proceedings that in some cases have gone more than two years without a final ruling. The environmental authorities maintain that these decisions are based on independent technical reports and allow no discretionary exceptions. Lawyers specialising in planning law say this type of litigation has multiplied in Boa Vista in step with growing investor interest in the island. The outcome of these cases could set a precedent for future projects near other protected areas of the archipelago.