The consequences of the fire caused by lightning in the Valls de la Marina Alta have been devastating. In the 100 kilometers of perimeter of burned forest area, few areas of living flora have remained. And much less if we talk about fauna.
Some videos recently released by the Hunting Federation of the Valencian Community have shown the harshness of the effect of the flames on the ground in the interior of the region. One of them belonged to the Club de Caçadors de Pego, in which Antonio Ferrando, its president, recounted the work that had been carried out in the pogolín hunting reserves and that it was still being done even when the fire was active.
«From minute zero I was going up the mountain to provide water and food to the animals in the area. Only I went up, since as president of the Club I had permission to do so, "says Antonio. In the hunting reserves of each municipal district, the members of the associations have the obligation to maintain the land and invest in it.
"Every year we grow crops for all the animals in the area"
The president of hunters affirms that from the clubs they must allocate 35% of the income for the non-profit hunting reserves to the crops and the supply of animals of each of their terms. A task that contributes to the maintenance and survival of both the mountains and the animal species that inhabit them.
These terraces serve as a form of food for the hunting fauna that lives in the preserves. «Every year we grow wheat crops for this type of animals in the area such as rabbits, partridges, wild boars and barnacles. Although all kinds of animals come. In addition, as an internal rule we are strictly prohibited from hunting animals that are found in these cultivation areas, our own or those of others, since they are refuge and rest areas for them », he explains.
"Firefighters used the water from the rafts to extinguish the fire"
There are approximately 14 planting areas that depend on the hunters of Pego, with their respective drinking fountains for animals, about 27 in their area, and four large pools of water that the wild boars use as a pool. "Our planted terraces served as firebreaks," says the hunter. The Caça de Pego Club decided to share the aforementioned video to somehow show the power of crops and that their work goes beyond hunting practice.
«Not only the crops favored the extinction work. The rafts that he had accidentally filled a few days ago were used by the Firefighters' water pumps to extinguish the fire. Even the planes unloaded on them to leave them full for their companions », he relates.
“Without nature I could not dedicate myself to hunting”
That hunting is frowned upon by much of today's society is a fact and Antonio is aware of this: «I know that hunters are seen as 'the bad guys', but people don't realize that we do a lot of work for the mountain and for the animals. The pegolí repeats several times that with this story he does not intend to win medals, since they were not aware of the help provided by the work they do until the fire broke out. Although the video he recorded served to show that part of reality.
Although it sounds paradoxical "before being a hunter I am an environmentalist, because without nature I could not dedicate myself to hunting", be honest. Now, both Antonio and the rest of the hunters in the region are waiting for the review of the burned land and the rehabilitation plans for the area. With which, assures the president of the Club, they are going to participate and help so that the area is regenerated in the best possible way as soon as possible.
Regarding returning to hunting in the burned preserves, they still have more to go, since the regulation of hunting in burned land prohibits the practice until two years later, as long as the mountain regenerates adequately.
