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Candidate countries for the site

Context​

We will live on the land we restore, so the country is one of the earliest and heaviest choices. It sets the budget, the ecosystem, the legal form, and our daily life. We need a working shortlist now, even though the final call depends on money and on a real parcel turning up.

Options considered​

Assessed against the site criteria and the bioregion profiles in parameters/:

  • Germany: home ground, temperate, expensive land, smaller patch. See profile.
  • Portugal: cheaper and larger, Mediterranean, fire and water risk, a move and a new language. See profile.
  • France, Italy, Spain, or opportunistic: kept open but lower priority, pursued only if a strong parcel or grant appears.

Decision​

Shortlist Germany and Portugal as the two serious candidates. Hold off committing. Keep both live, run the scored comparison (Germany vs Portugal), and decide once funding is clearer and a real parcel is on the table. Stay opportunistic about everywhere else.

Why​

These two bracket the trade-off we actually face. Germany is easy and safe but small and costly. Portugal is cheaper, larger, and a better fit for living in nature, at the price of relocating and harder conditions. The scored comparison puts them almost level, which is the reason to keep both open rather than force an early choice.

Constraints​

  • We are in Cologne, German-speaking, and vegan.
  • Modest budget, aiming for roughly one to four hectares plus a house and a good outlook.
  • How willing we are to relocate, especially to Portugal, is real and still unsettled. It may be the deciding factor.

Revisit when​

  • We know the funding amount, which changes what is affordable where.
  • A suitable parcel appears in either country.
  • We settle how far we are willing to move.