The Plenary of the Consell has approved the declaration of eight Places of Community Importance as Special Conservation Areas. These areas are the Sierra de la Safor, the Valls de la Marina, Aitana, Serrella, Puig Campana, Bèrnia, el Ferrer and the Gorgos river. This measure is intended to guarantee the protection and conservation of these natural spaces of great ecological and cultural value in the Valencian Community.
Likewise, the management regulation of the Sierra de la Safor special conservation areas is approved; Valls de la Marina; Aitana; Serrella; Puig Campana; Bernia; el Ferrer and the Gorgos river and the Muntanyes de la Marina Special Protection Zone for Birds (ZEP). The scope of the management regulation affects 43.967 hectares.
These regulations contain a program of actions to be developed to ensure the conservation of habitats and species of interest quantified at 827.834 euros.
Both types of spaces (ZEC and ZEPA) constitute the Natura 2000 Network, a European ecological network of biodiversity conservation areas, which includes those areas that together house a relevant representation of habitats and species of community interest for the Union. Union, as well as the species protected through the Birds Directive.
Management standards are the technical and regulatory instrument that guarantees proper management of these spaces.
The approved measure pays special attention to the compatibility between human activities -among them, mountain agriculture or organized recreational and tourist activities- and the conservation of habitats and species and, in general, of the relevant environmental values present in area.
This aspect, which was the subject of various allegations during the public exposure phase of the document, has been expressly taken into account in the final draft of the standard, part of the scope of which also suffered the effects of the forest fire in La Vall d'Ebo of August 2022, so the application of the measures provided for in the document will contribute to its restoration.
With this decree, progress continues in compliance with the ZEC declaration schedule required by the European Union.
