The Provincial Environment Council reports favorably on the proposed declaration as a Special Conservation Area for the Ravines on the Retortillo River

The delegate of Environment and Spatial Planning, Francisco de Paula Algar, presided this morning the ordinary session of the Provincial Council of Environment and Biodiversity in Cordoba, and has reported the proposed declaration as a Special Conservation Area of the Ravines in the Retortillo River that comprises a part of the municipal term of Hornachuelos and the municipality La Puebla de los Infantes of the province of Seville.

Specifically, Algar has communicated the draft Decree declaring certain Special Conservation Areas with ecological connectivity and green infrastructure functions, including this natural area of the province of Cordoba, as well as the draft order by the one that is approved the Management Plan of this specific zone that has an indefinite validity.

The natural space covers an area of more than 519 hectares, mostly privately owned except the public water domain, and more than 2.5 hectares of public forest.

Algar said that "the draft decree and order have been reported favorably by the Provincial Council of Environment and Biodiversity during the session," also stressed that "conservation priorities set out in the draft order follow the guidelines Of the Natura 2000 Network approved by the Sectorial Conference of the Environment of the Government of the Nation".

The head of the Environment stated that "ecological connectivity and conservation measures and green infrastructure have been prioritized, and conservation measures are linked to habitats of community interest and relevant species, among which are serving as Corridor for species such as the Iberian lynx, the wolf and the great raptors like the black vulture, the golden eagle and the Bonelli's eagle."

Among other issues, the members of the Provincial Environment Council were aware of the results of the balance sheet of the INFOCA Plan, which in 2016 has been settled in the province of Córdoba with 118.74 hectares affected, which is 3.45 of the total of the surface burned in Andalusia. Of the total number of hectares affected, 107.11 were scrub and 11.63 woodland. In addition, of the 80 forest incidents in the province of Córdoba, 70 have occurred in forest soils and 10 in agricultural lands. Of the 70 occurred in forest areas, 55 have been cones and 15 forest claims.

The Life project "El Lobo en Andalucía: changing attitudes", released and coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, with a budget of 1.6 million euros, co-financed with European funds. "This project aims to improve, through a program of communication and environmental awareness, the coexistence of the wolf with the rural populations and with the hunting and hunting groups, to avoid extinction," said the delegate.

Lastly, Algar highlighted the importance of the Provincial Council as a body for the participation of civil society at the provincial level in hunting, fish, forestry, flora and fauna and the environment in general, as well as its work as a collegiate body of an advisory nature and counseling.

Source: www.juntadeandalucia.es/medioambiente