The "Network of Women Nature Guardians and Sustainable Rural Development" is an initiative promoted by Business as Nature that aims to mobilise, train and support women who want to be local drivers of ecosystem recovery, biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture and forestry and the transition to a circular economy. Launched in 2023 with the support of the Environmental Fund/ICNF, the Network's first phase was implemented in 8 protected areas in mainland Portugal. In 2024, with the support of Crédito Agrícola, it was possible to move on to the second phase of the Network in these territories, with the aim of supporting the consolidation and implementation of the projects devised by the Guardians, and to extend the Network to the Tagus Estuary with the support of TTSL - Transtejo Soflusa. In 2025 the Network is being extended to 5 new protected areas with the support of the Environmental Fund. The women who join the Network benefit from a range of training activities, mentoring and support for the development of their initiatives, with a strong focus on promoting networking and synergies between interventions. In September 2025, the Network of Nature Guardians registered 387 applications for the 15 protected areas covered (plus more than 300 applications for protected areas not yet covered), with around 200 guardians actively participating in the actions promoted by this initiative. More than 120 project ideas have already been identified, many of which are already underway.