Ricardo M. Nogueira Mendes is a Biologist and a PhD Candidate in Physical Activity and Sport (Law in sport) at the National Institute of Physical Education and Sport of Catalonia (INEFC), University of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.
Lic. in Biology Applied to Animal Resources by FCUL (1996), Postgraduate in Nature Tourism by ADEMINHO / Order of Biologists (2002), Diploma of Advanced Studies in Geography and Territorial Planning by NOVA FCSH (2012). Since 2010, he has been developing technical and scientific work on monitoring and evaluation of tourist and recreational uses of protected and classified areas in Portugal and Catalonia through the use of automatic counters and Voluntary Geographic Information in addition to the classic methods of field work, surveys & questionnaires. He has also been directing curricular internships and master theses from NOVA FCSH, FCUL and ESHTE.

Research Interests:

Nature conservation. Recreational uses. Carrying capacity. Voluntary geographic information. Geographic information systems.

Main Projects:

• 2014-2019 – LIFE BERLENGAS: Conserving threatened habitats and species in Berlengas SPA through sustainable management. SPEA/ICNF/CMPeniche/ESTM IPLeiria, European Commission, Programa LIFE. Desenvolvimento de protocolos científicos e coordenador do trabalho de campo;
• 2013- 2015 – Estudo de monitorização da capacidade de carga na Serra da Arrábida. AMRS & PNArr, Gestor de Ciência e Tecnologia, Desenvolvimento de protocolos científicos e coordenador do trabalho de campo;
• 2013-2015 – Projecto BIOMARES2 – Conservação dos habitats marinhos e caracterização das actividades socioeconómicas no parque natural da arrábida / sítio de importância comunitário arrábida-espichel. (CCMAR, ISPA, ICNF-PNArr) Gestor de Ciência e Tecnologia, Desenvolvimento de protocolos científicos e coordenador do trabalho de campo;
• 2012-2015 – OdemiraBTT, CMOdemira, Gestor de Ciência e Tecnologia e Coordenador Técnico.

• Rosário, I. T., Rebelo, R., Cardoso, P., Segurado, P., Nogueira Mendes, R., & Santos-Reis, M. (2019). Can geocaching be an indicator of cultural ecosystem services? The case of the montado savannah-like landscape. Ecological Indicators, 99 (April 2019), 375–386;
• Nogueira Mendes, R. & Pereira da Silva, C. (2018). Looking back at recreational activities in protected areas using VGI from web-share services. In Dehez, J. et al eds. Proceedings of The 9th International Conference on Monitoring and Management of Visitors in Recreational and Protected Areas (MMV). Bordeaux, France. 28-31 Agosto. pp. 138–140. ISBN: 978-2-9551251-1-3;
• Campelo, M. B., & Nogueira Mendes, R. M. (2016) Comparing webshare services to assess mountain bike use in protected areas. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 15, pp. 82-88. ISSN: 2213-0780;
• Santos, T., Nogueira Mendes, R., Vasco, A. (2016). Recreational activities in urban parks: Spatial interactions among users. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. 15. pp. 1-9. ISSN: 2213-0780;
• Pereira da Silva, C.; Nogueira Mendes, R..; Moutinho, G.; Mota, V. and Fonseca, C., 2016. Beach carrying capacity and protected areas: management issues in Arrábida Natural Park, Portugal. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 680–684. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.