Growing and continuing to sow wealth in its surroundings. This is the great challenge of the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, the only national park in Catalonia—declared in 1955—which is the highest distinction granted to a natural area. In March of last year, the Department of Territory and Sustainability began the administrative process to expand the park's current 14,119 hectares by a minimum of 5,000 hectares. "The demands of the territory itself, its natural values, and its dynamic socioeconomic role justify its expansion," explained Marta Subirà, Director General of Environmental Policies of the Generalitat (Catalan Government).
Currently, the Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici includes in its territory four regions ( Alta Ribagorça, Pallars Jussà, Vall d'Aran and Pallars Sobirà ) and ten municipalities, with a population of approximately 15,000 inhabitants, mostly dedicated to the tertiary sector.
"Along with the area's cultural heritage, the park is the main driving force as a tourist attraction," notes Subirà. "It's nature in its wild state, a landscape free from human intervention, and the entire area likely to be included in the park already has that natural heritage value. Including it under the park's protection will give it official recognition, and to achieve this, we have the most important thing: the enthusiasm for the territory and the natural values of the environment being considered for inclusion," adds the Director of Environmental Policies.
The Generalitat ( Catalan Government) is currently working on the expansion limits with the affected municipalities. "Our goal would be to finalize a first consensual proposal during this term," Subirà estimates.
The expansion process includes approval by the Parliament and the central government's Council of Ministers, since Aigüestortes, as a national park, is part of the National Parks Network.
AFFECTED MUNICIPALITIES
The town halls of Pallars Sobirà involved in the expansion are Sort, Rialp and La Guingueta d'Àneu, and in Pallars Jussà , Torre de Cabdella.
Extensive livestock farming is practically the only type of farming permitted by national park protection. Even so, the region values the promotion that comes with maximum recognition as a natural heritage site by its municipality above the loss of other uses. "We are interested. For the Vall d'Àssua region—access to the park from the municipality of Sort—is, today, the only guarantee of prosperity," says Sort's mayor, Llàtzer Sibís. "But it is essential to safeguard traditional activities on the Llessui mountain, where a dozen herds graze," adds Sibís. The former Llessui school building houses the Shepherd's Museum and an information and entrance point to the national park, "although promoting this access is still not sufficient," the mayor points out.
On the other side of the mountain, at the Boí park house ( Alta Ribagorça ), Mercè Aniz, director of the Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, also supports expansion. "Protecting the territory is key to the conservation of certain species and habitats, and this is not incompatible with traditional livestock farming, present here since the Bronze Age," says Aniz.
CARME ESCALES / Espot
Source: elPeriódico.com
Link: http://ow.ly/lRS8Q