In the operation Guarda à Casa!, those who help recover the Casa do Guarda become part of a symbolic community: the Monteiros da Ota.
The figure of the Monteiro is inspired by the ancient guardians linked to the Mata da Ota, individuals who knew the territory, traversed the paths, watched over the mountains, and protected the landscape. Today, this memory gains new life through all those who come together to save the Casa do Guarda.
Being a Monteiro da Ota today is not a formal title. It is a commitment to belonging, care, and community responsibility. It is about helping to safeguard the Casa, the Serra, the ancient Mata da Ota, the Canhão Cársico, and the collective memory of this territory.
Anyone, whether an individual, company, association, or institution, can become a Monteiro da Ota. Support can take various forms: financial donations, provision of materials, lending of equipment, provision of services, volunteer labor, logistical support, or promotion of the operation.
Every contribution matters. Every support brings the community closer to the main goal: to prevent the Casa do Guarda from falling into disrepair and to give it a new mission in service of the Serra de Ota.
The operation Guarda à Casa! is, therefore, more than just a heritage recovery campaign. It is a call to participation for all who believe that the Casa do Guarda still has a future.
Those who help the Casa become Monteiros da Ota.