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Date Published: 15/09/2023

Valencia studies opening up protected Alicante natural parks to tourists

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The Environment Minister wants to review the regulations governing the 22 protected areas to remove their “shell” and boost economic activity

Valencia studies opening up protected Alicante natural parks to tourists

The Generalitat Valenciana, the regional government of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, which covers the provinces of Valencia, Castellón and Alicante, is working on a new law to boost tourism and the economy by opening up the region’s 22 Natural Parks to visitors.

Chief among the region’s Natural Parks are the Turia river and the wetland areas of Albufera, Las Salinas de Santa Pola and the gorgeous pink lagoons at Lagunas de la Mata-Torrevieja.

The regional Minister of Environment, Water, Infrastructure and Territory, Salomé Pradas, has said that the law will be comprehensive in nature and will address the “most important issues, those that most concern the mayors, the councils and also the Generalitat, which is how to develop the [tourist and economic] activity in a sustainable way on our coasts.”

As such, she announced that they will undertake a review of the planning of natural resources and the use and management of the 22 natural parks in the Valencian Community, which she described as “natural jewels to protect” but “with common sense”.

“We are aiming to remove this shell that has been placed on the natural parks by the previous government, which has greatly limited the use, including visits to some of our natural parks. We want, as was the case up until 2015, to make public use compatible with environmental protection, which is perfectly compatible,” she said.

Between 2015 and 2023, the Socialist PSOE party was in power in the Valencian parliament and tightened environmental protection of the natural parks by limiting the visitable areas. Since the May 2023 elections, the conservative PP party has returned to power.

The new Environment Minister insisted that “the best way” to protect the environment is “by making environmental protection compatible with economic development” and has highlighted the possibilities offered by nature tourism.

“For that we have to have updated regulations that protect our jewels of nature, but that also allow the economy, economic and social development,” she stressed.

In Andalucía, the natural wetlands park of Doñana is in threat from plans to expand agricultural irrigation and to build a new water-intensive golf resort.

Image: Archive

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