Land Management Instruments: RAN and REN
The National Agricultural Reserve (RAN) and the National Ecological Reserve (REN) are two key legal instruments protecting, respectively, agricultural land and environmentally sensitive areas in Portugal.
In Portugal, the National Agricultural Reserve (RAN) and the National Ecological Reserve (REN) are legal land-management instruments aimed at protecting, respectively, areas of agricultural and environmental importance. RAN, regulated by Decree-Law No. 73/2009, protects fertile soils to ensure the availability of agricultural land, prohibiting subdivision, construction or waste disposal that degrades the soil. REN, regulated by Decree-Law No. 166/2008, protects biodiversity areas, coastal zones and aquifer recharge areas, prohibiting subdivisions, urbanisation works, roads and destruction of vegetation cover.
Legal Framework
The Framework Law on Land Use Planning and Urbanism (Law No. 31/2014) defines the concepts of RAN and REN and sets out the general principles for their classification and management. Beyond specific legislation, other instruments such as Municipal Master Plans (PDM) and Regional Land Use Plans (PROT) also establish provisions related to protecting these reserves, contributing to the conservation of agricultural and natural resources and to sustainable territorial development.