Patronato del Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (Huesca, 19-11-2024).

The session begins with the greeting and presentation of the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Manuel Pizarro, who is the new Chairman for the third time. Surprisingly, it was proposed to appoint former Chairman Modesto Pascau as honorary member of the Board of Trustees. The representatives of the Ecologist Associations of Aragón (J.A. Gil-FCQ- and M. Polanco) expressed our disagreement with the proposal and voted against it, because we believe that he does not deserve such a distinction. We state that he is a person who has always sought controversy and confrontation. He has always had a belligerent attitude against environmental groups and the environment during the period of his presidency. We state that on the very day of his appointment, we had to suffer his invectives, insults and threats. Subsequently, the minutes of the previous session (30-1-24) were approved. Regarding the investment program of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), the total funds for the park amount to €3,400,000. The future collection of parking fees in the Park is discussed, subject to the Sustainable Mobility Plan (which is in the process of public participation and should be completed by 2025), and 380,000 for the compensation fund for municipalities. Public subsidies in the area of socioeconomic influence of the park, 700,000 is allocated to the Biosphere Reserve, 2,390,000 to the area of influence and 282,000 to the municipalities. In relation to the state of conservation of the road from Escalona to Sarvisé, it is commented that it is in bad condition and the Mayor of Fanlo requests that the conservation and maintenance be carried out by the Government of Aragón. Regarding the facilities of the old Parador de Ordesa, a report is being prepared for its remodeling, for its future use. Of the damages caused by the rains of the DANA storm, they have been multiple, in roads, tracks, small works of passage, bridges, etc. They are estimated at around 620,000 euros. The most important damage is the landslide on the Añisclo Canyon road. Regarding the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park Activities Plan 2024 (endowed with 2.2 million euros), the extensive Plan and the report 2023 are presented. In relation to the authorizations made by the Park, we expose the case of the inappropriate visit made by the General Directors of Natural Environment and Culture of the Government of Aragon transiting in an official vehicle along the track at the bottom of the Ordesa Valley. The General Director of Natural Environment replies that it was an official mission and that he has permission to circulate. We state that we will request the pertinent documentation on this fact. On the status of the revision of the PRUG and the renewal and incorporation of members of the working commission, new participants in this process are again appointed; we, the ecologist representatives, have been excluded by vote from the commission. We also announced that we will ask for a change of group to be in the group together with the University, CSIC and CPNA, as in the rest of the boards of trustees. We are going to create working commissions on public use and budgets. The person in charge of the National Parks Autonomous Organization (OAPN) describes what has been done, highlighting the 13 research programs financed by MITECO, 5 of those granted are to be carried out in Ordesa NP, and the state of the works of the Escalona visitor center (whose budget is 4.2 million Euros). Information is also presented on actions in relation to other figures of which the Park is part: the Pyrenees-Monte Perdido World Heritage Site, the Ordesa Viñamala Biosphere Reserve and the Sobrarbe-Pyrenees Geopark. In the “Questions and Answers” section, we asked for information about the research work on the effects of ivermectin on the saprophytic coleoptera degrading cattle excrements. The Director informs that the samplings are being finalized and that the writing of the report is in progress and that when the report is finished the request to send it to the interested parties will be attended. We also asked about the study of watercourses and wetlands (Pyrenean frog) that the University of Zaragoza carried out last year and about the extension of the sampling areas necessary for its completion. The director answers us in similar terms to the previous question. Once again, we request that the necessary steps be taken to expand the park, which, with its 15,000 ha, could not be declared a National Park today. We took advantage of the presence of the Minister of Environment and Tourism, we requested the creation of a protected area of steppes and arid areas in Aragon, which are ecosystems not yet represented in the National Park Network without getting a response. Although Pizarro is interested. Finally, the Mayor of Fanlo makes a series of criticisms about some of the actions carried out by the FCQ, which are answered by the FCQ with technical arguments, which totally discredit the Mayor’s comments.