Everything is ready for the second largest (and most complicated) natural park in Catalonia

AlcoverIn terms of size, with its 39,800 hectares, the Prades, Poblet and Serra de la Llena Mountains Natural Park will be the second largest natural park in Catalonia, second only to the Alt Pirineu Natural Park. But if we consider the level of complexity, the future natural park wins hands down. It was already considered a priority during the Second Republic, and once the dictatorship ended, there were various attempts to make it a reality, but these proved impossible. After many broken promises and constant changes to the schedule, there is a date that, now, seems likely to be met: Official Gazette of the Government of Catalonia The Official Gazette of Catalonia (DOGC) will publish the draft for the creation of the new natural park this March. A period for submitting objections will then open, and according to the Catalan Government's calculations, it could be definitively approved this summer. The main difficulty in defining what the future park should be like lies precisely in its vast size: it includes 22 municipalities across five different counties and two provinces, Tarragona and Lleida. "Tell me what the reality of Cornudella (Priorat) could possibly have in common with that of Alcover (Alt Camp)," says the mayor of Cornudella, Meritxell Cardona. Converting this entire area into a natural park will allow for the preservation of a large expanse, but this protection entails restrictions. And this has been one of the main obstacles. The participatory process promoted by the Department of Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition has gathered 851 contributions, with an additional 150 following specific territorial sessions organized by the Government. "The creation of the park has incorporated a lengthy participatory process, which has allowed us to collect a wide diversity of perspectives, knowledge, and expectations regarding the future space," explained Marc Vilahur, Director General of Environmental Policies and the Natural Environment, this afternoon during an event in Alcover.

A delicate balance

A large part of the contributions focused on the governance of the future park and its impact on agricultural, forestry, and livestock activities. The effect on tourism is also a concern. Some municipalities, like Alcover, have always been supportive: "Until now there have always been obstacles, but now it's unstoppable," declared the town's mayor, Robert Figueras. Figueras considers the environmental protection inherent in being part of a natural park to be very important, as well as the investment that will come from the Generalitat (Catalan government) to control the various activities. Currently, these forests are used by climbers, hunters, cyclists, and rural tourism facilities. "Anyone who wants to profit from the forest can continue to do so, but now the Natural Park will ensure that everything is done according to the regulations," he says.

It is precisely these regulations that are holding back other stakeholders, such as the mayor of Cornudella. "We would like to remain outside the Natural Park, but they won't let us," she says resignedly. Climbers from all over the world come to Cornudella de Montsant, but with the new protection plans, "30% of the routes, including the most important ones, would no longer be possible," he laments. He also believes that the wine-growing interests in the municipality could be harmed, as he thinks the number of permits required to develop a new economic activity will increase. "We've already experienced all of this with the Montsant Natural Park," he says.

Cardona, like other mayors and residents who aren't entirely convinced, is waiting for the final draft to be published in the DOGC (Official Gazette of the Generalitat of Catalonia) before deciding whether or not to submit objections. "It seems like the only way to speed things up now is by rushing, and I think we're moving too fast. It's as if it has to be approved during this term by force," he laments. The Catalan government maintains that "a flexible regulation of public use has been agreed upon, incorporating adaptive measures agreed upon with the sectors involved, such as climbing and paragliding, based on carrying capacity, the state of biodiversity conservation, and control measures in high-traffic areas," and they are confident that an agreement will be reached.