Regulation of overcrowding in the Brugent River

CALENDAR

START: 2021

FINAL: - (IN PROGRESS)

GOALS:

1. Co-managing the L'Espai Natural Protegit del Brugent between the town councils of Sant Feliu de Pallerols and Les Planes d'Hostoles
2. Regulate access to the busiest spaces to control the number of visitors and the impact on the environment
3. Install signage and interpretive signs on space use and good practices
4. Restore the most degraded areas
5. Study and manage spaces for the maintenance and improvement of natural habitats, ecological processes and biodiversity

FINANCERS:

1. Ajuntament de les Planes d'Hostoles
2. Ajuntament de Sant Feliu de Pallerols
3. Agència Catalana de l'Aigua
4. Departament d'Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural

SUMMARY:

The management project of the l'Espai Natural Protegit del Brugent has been a pioneer in Catalonia in terms of the regulation of river areas of inland basins. Catalonia is experiencing a significant increase in influx into natural areas and the case of the gorges of Les Planes d'Hostoles and Sant Feliu de Pallerols is a case of success and innovation in the management of this impact.

The town councils of both municipalities, together with the Emys Foundation, have dealt with this issue in a holistic way, valuing the protected natural space and reconciling nature conservation with the visit of the space and the coexistence of citizens.

The active management of this natural space is done through river stewardship. River stewardship aims to hold users and owners linked to a wetland accountable, as well as the competent administrations, in order to promote the conservation of the area, the improvement of biodiversity and a better ecological status. In the case of the river Brugent, the skills were diffuse and the tools to manage the environmental impact were scarce.

However, thanks to the action of the City Council of Les Planes d'Hostoles, in collaboration with the Emys Foundation, in March 2018 a process of regulation of the uses and accesses to the Protected Natural Area began. The City Council of Sant Feliu de Pallerols joined the initiative in 2020 in order to achieve comprehensive management of the entire Brugent basin. The process has culminated in 2021 with the signing of an agreement with the Catalan Water Agency for the river stewardship of the river Brugent.

ACTIONS CARRIED OUT AND RESULTS:

YEAR 2021

• Creation of the official website of the Espai Natural Protegit del Brugent.
• Creating an application for controlling visitor access with a QR code system
• Creation of the Espai Protegit del Brugent brand
• Reinforcement of signage on natural values ​​and interpretation of space
• Revegetation for path closure
• Adequacy of access
• Attendance (from Easter to the end of September): 19,780 people