Benilloba, December 2018
A proposal adressed to the City Halls of Alcoleja, Benilloba, Cocentaina and Penàguila; Diputació d’Alacant; Conselleria d’Agricultura, Medi Ambient, Canvi Climàtic i Desenvolupament Rural de la Generalitat Valenciana (Valencian Ministry for Agriculture and the Environment); Confederació Hidrogràfica del Xúquer (CHX); i Ministeri de Transició Ecològica, Govern d’Espanya (Spanish Ministry for the Environment).
Serra d’Aitana is the source of the Frainos river that passes by the towns of Alcoleja, Penàguila and Benilloba and flows into the Serpis river north of Cocentaina (counties of el Comtat and l’Alcoià, Alacant). In recent months the ecosystem of the Xopades (poplar forests) of the Frainos river have been subjected to a brutal activity of felling and destruction, until today only in the municipality of Benilloba. Apple trees, black poplars, elms, fir trees, pear trees, pine trees, quince trees, willows and white poplars have vanished. There is nothing left of the dozens of shrub species now wiped out. I can only see dead trees poorly stacked, huge mounds of branches and riverbanks torn by machinery.
Also on the Frainos riverbanks near Benilloba a power generating company (possibly Iberdrola?) has cut down plants, almost at ground level, under its power lines. They have proven unable to understand balance between fire prevention and safeguarding the environment. In the pictures one can see stacks of trees right next to a ravine or discarded on the river itself.
Black poplar continues to be considered a harvesting tree, just as in the Middle Ages. Somebody from the timber company assured me that 15€ is the maximum prize paid for a black poplar. There is a lady claiming that the poplar trees prevented her from growing tomatoes in the summer.
I don’t know if owners as well as companies had the administrative permits and authorisations (from Confederació Hidrogràfica del Xúquer (CHX), Conselleria de Medi Ambient, Ajuntament de Benilloba, etc.). Has somebody demanded guarantees to restore the surroundings due to «the possible adverse environmental effects» as to the Ley de Aguas? Nor do I know if all have paid the «fee for using the public water domain goods» (cutting down a black poplar costs, per tree, 1,35€-44,70€, a pine tree, 21,12€ and a walnut tree, 124 €).
It is quite clear to me that none of the minds behind this environment disaster has applied modern forest management criteria. The Town Hall of Benilloba itself declined any competence over this matter. Nor did it use the power it holds as public authority to get assistance for the owners, expert advice or grants from the Diputació d’Alacant, the Valencian Environment Ministry or the Spanish Ministry for the Environment. Possibly the mountain towns do not hold enough capacity to react and respond to regrettable actions as such. We are the forgotten ones in this overwhelming countryside decline, fighting for the survival of our little towns faced with the rise of towns and the seaside.
City Halls of Alcoleja, Benilloba, Cocentaina and Penàguila; Diputació d’Alacant; Conselleria d’Agricultura, Medi Ambient, Canvi Climàtic i Desenvolupament Rural de la Generalitat Valenciana (Valencian Ministry for Agriculture and the Environment); Confederació Hidrogràfica del Xúquer (CHX); i Ministeri de Transició Ecològica, Govern d’Espanya (Spanish Ministry for the Environment): When are you going to start up a plan for the protection and management of the Xopades (poplar forests) of the Frainos river?
Visita, comparte, firma y comenta mi petición en change.org. Gracias. https://www.change.org/p/confederació-hidrogràfica-del-xúquer-chj-un-plan-público-de-gestión-y-protección-para-les-xopades-del-rio-frainos
Vídeos grabados en la ribera del Frainos antes de la devastación actual: Ribera del riu Frainos aigua 1
Ribera del riu Frainos aigua 2
Ribera del riu Frainos flora 14
Ribera del riu Frainos flora 17
Ribera del riu Frainos flora 18
Ribera del riu Frainos flora 22
Ribera del riu Frainos flora 23
Ribera del riu Frainos mayo 2017
Vídeos de la devastación de la Ribera del Frainos:
Ribera del riu Frainos vista general a 31/01/2019
Ribera del riu Frainos tala ribera tossal 3
Ribera del riu Frainos tala ribera tossal 11
Ribera del riu Frainos tala ribera tossal 12
Ribera del Frainos tala ribera tossal 13
Ribera del riu Frainos tala ribera llavador 1
Ribera del riu Frainos tala ribera llavador 21
Ribera del riu Frainos tala ribera llavador 22
Ribera del riu Frainos tala ribera llavador 23
Prensa:
Coordinadora d’Estudis Eòlics del Comtat 11/02/2019: https://zona14.wordpress.com/2019/02/11/un-pla-public-de-gestio-i-proteccio-per-a-les-xopades-del-riu-frainos/
Ara Multimedia, 12/02/2019: https://www.aramultimedia.com/denuncien-devastacio-al-riuafrainos-amb-tales-de-vegetacio-moviments-de-terres-i-caduques-i-perilloses-obres
Pagina 66 12/02/2019: https://pagina66.com/art/116900/demanen-un-pla-public-de-proteccio-de-la-ribera-del-riu-frainos
Diario Información 16/02/2019: https://www.diarioinformacion.com/alcoy/2019/02/15/piden-proteccion-rio-frainos-tala/2118790.html
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