Catalonia advances ecological restoration and natural park planning

In Catalonia, efforts to expand and manage protected natural areas are progressing through land acquisition and municipal negotiations. In Ivars d’Urgell, the purchase of land at Prat de Montsuar is set to proceed via an agreement between the local council, the Institució Catalana d’Història Natural (ICHN), and the Generalitat. This move aims to ensure the ecological restoration of a site characterized by unique natural systems and threatened flora.

Meanwhile, several municipalities in the Conca de Barberà region—including Montblanc, L’Espluga de Francolí, and Vilanova de Prades—have submitted joint allegations regarding the proposed Prades Mountains Natural Park. The local mayors are seeking to ensure that the new park structure preserves the autonomy of the existing Poblet Natural Site of National Interest. Their demands include maintaining municipal control over water supply infrastructure, increasing local representation on the governing board, and establishing the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet as the park’s institutional headquarters.