Andorra environmental protection expansion

Andorra has initiated several measures to expand its protected territories and enhance environmental conservation. The government approved a bill to establish the nation’s first national park in the valleys of Canillo and Ordino, covering 8,834 hectares. This project, described by Minister Guillem Casal as a “historic milestone,” utilizes a zoning model to protect biodiversity while maintaining traditional activities like livestock farming and hunting.

Following this, the country expanded its conservation efforts through urban planning and additional natural park declarations. In Andorra la Vella, the Parish Urban Planning Plan aims to preserve Parc Central by transitioning it toward communal ownership to prevent urban development. Simultaneously, the Pessons circuit in Encamp is being declared a communal natural park, covering 528 hectares of high-mountain habitat. These combined initiatives are expected to increase Andorra’s total protected surface area to nearly 32%.