The Aralar Bizirik platform and representatives of the ecological and naturalist groups of Gipuzkoa appeared yesterday in the works of Larraitz, concerned that the General Directorate of Montes and the Natural Environment of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa projects the construction of a network of slopes in Artelar, on the grounds of Abaltzisketa. The purpose of this track is to carry out forestry works in the bee and beech planting areas of the Egido de Albatzisketa public mountain. Edurne Huesa, on behalf of the environmental groups, has denounced that they want to make clues in a '90% protected area' and that they will cause 'great' damage.

The Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa published on its website on July 5 the beginning of the consultation process for the ordinary environmental impact assessment of the project for the construction of these roads. Ekos Estudios Ambiental S.L.U. The report prepared by the company can be read and the deadline for submission of suggestions and contributions will be one month.

According to the report, the purpose of the project is to build a network of tracks allowing access to and the execution of reafforestation works in the forest masses of stands 5 and 6, as the infrastructures currently in place are insufficient for the implementation of the works to be carried out. On the other hand, in addition to enabling forest management, the planned slopes will improve the working conditions of the pastors of the municipality of Abaltzisketa.

Alternatives

In view of this, representatives of the two environmental groups have pointed out ‘surprise and anger’. They do not understand ‘how the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the body responsible for the conservation of natural parks, is continuously opposed to nature conservation; uncontrolled development, without sufficient resources in the Arastortz fire and without taking into account the damage to the ecosystem, the Arkaka txiki canal, harmful to fauna, and again projecting new clues in the protection zone…’.

90% in natural park

They add that the "90%" of this network of tracks is located in the Natural Park protection grounds, and that the legislation that protects it states that "it is forbidden to work with heavy machinery of its own outside the slopes, all works that may alter the soil except the works of opening holes and maintenance of accesses, being essential for the removal of wood materials the use of cable or any other similar form that does not prevent the soil".

You are clear that what you are proposing is ‘feasible today’, ‘as is being done elsewhere’.

Disagreement with the project, as the justification report of the runway network indicates that farmers cannot use the pedestrian paths to Txindoki and Ausa Castle, as there are many mountaineers and dogs loose. With this assertion, the members of Aralar Bizirik and Naturkone claim that the good coexistence between mountaineers and livestock farmers is undervalued.

They recall that ‘on the common mountain, coexistence is essential’, and that in the face of loose dogs ‘the adoption of measures is up to the institutions’. They believe that this is an ‘excuse’ for ‘opening the way for farmers’.

‘Large’ damage

They say that the construction of the slopes will generate more ‘soil erosion’, so ‘at least 12% of the area will be lost’. In addition, they warn that the subsoil of the area is connected with the Osinbeltz spring of Zaldibia and that the piste project may lead to increased contamination of drinking water for zaldibiarras.

There is also talk of damage to fauna, 'the endangered bat forest has not been taken into account'. And with regard to trees, they point out that it is ‘shameful’ that the Ekos company, which has issued the environmental impact report, the forests of the northern slopes of Txindoki and Ausa Gaztelu, ‘considers them a heterogeneous and aged mass when in the Aralar resource plan they are considered to be ecosystems of high ecological value’.

In short, they say that we are facing a "new barbarity" and, in order to curb this situation, they announce that they will soon make public the negative assessment of this project, demanding that the environmental report not be adopted. They urge the various associations and people related to the mountain of Aralar to refer this assessment to the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa before 7 August, ‘so that the Deputy can see that the Gipuzkoans want to preserve the natural park of Aralar’.

On the other hand, they complain that the documentation made public by the Member is in Spanish. They also announce that on 18 September a mountain tour will be held in the area of Gaztelu and Saltarri to see the nature conservation works.