Wayward Wanderings

Wayward Wanderings

From Wander Woman: A Travel Podcast by Phoebe Smith

January 31, 2026 · 50 min · Season 4 · Episode 1

About this episode

Phoebe Smith explores the Côa Valley in Portugal, highlighting the impact of large herbivores on the ecosystem and local communities.

A rewilded valley, a returning herd, and a community finding new roots—come with Wander Woman Phoebe Smith to Portugal’s Côa Valley where tauros and sorraia horses are reshaping the land and jumpstarting local livelihoods. Join her as she learns how large herbivores create healthier mosaic habitats that reduce wildfire risk, boost biodiversity, and draw back predators like wolves, and listen in as she meets the people turning these ecological wins into sustainable nature-based tourism. Also ...

People in this episode

Host: Phoebe Smith

Topics covered

  • rewilding
  • sustainable tourism
  • biodiversity
  • local livelihoods
  • ecological restoration

Keywords

  • Côa Valley
  • sorraia horses
  • tauros
  • biodiversity
  • wildfire risk
  • sustainable tourism
  • rewilding
  • local communities

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Portugal, Côa Valley, sorraia horses, tauros

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