Savills has completed the sale of 870 hectares of sustainable forest in Portugal, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The transaction was carried out by the Rural teams at Savills International and Savills Portugal.
The land is divided between the regions of Bragança and Alentejo and includes plantations of stone pine, cork oak and eucalyptus with medium rotation. It includes the Vale de Mouro property (709 hectares), purchased by Antarr, a Portuguese forest preservation company focused on investing in productive and biodiverse properties, which considers this acquisition an important milestone in its portfolio. The remaining area was acquired by a timber company.
According to the consultant, this transaction "marks the first part of a historic cross-border forestry initiative, which comprises a total of 2,685 hectares of sustainably managed forests in Portugal and Spain". The forests put up for sale by DS Smith represent a rare combination of environmental management and commercial forestry, designed to meet ecological and investment criteria in an ever-evolving market for natural capital and forest preservation efforts.
"Jointly managed by the Rural Departments of Savills Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, the process represents one of the most significant coordinated forest sales in the region, bringing together environmental preservation and economic potential under a common vision," according to a Savills press release.
Matthew Stone, Group Property Director at DS Smith, said: "We are delighted with the partnership with Antarr, which, as the new owners of our Portuguese forests, has demonstrated its commitment to ongoing, long-term ethical investment. We look forward to finding a similar high-calibre investor for our forests in Spain."
Bruno Amaro, Rural Business Developer at Savills Portugal, comments that "this transaction is a decisive step in the Portuguese forestry investment market. It illustrates the growing interest in forests not only as timber assets, but also as vehicles for long-term environmental and financial value. The success of the sale in Portugal highlights how institutional and impact-focused investors are embracing the forestry sector and underscores the strength of the collaboration between our teams internationally. We are very proud to contribute to the preservation and sustainable management of Portuguese forests, helping to build a lasting legacy for future generations.”
Jonny Griffiths, Head of International Land at Savills, adds: "We are very proud to have advised DS Smith on the sale of its Portuguese forests. The seamless collaboration between our International Land team in the UK and the rural team in Portugal was key to the success of this transaction."