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| FORTHCOMING
EVENT - 16th December 2007 - Marcha - Walk in the Campo - The Area
Natural of The Rio Seco Pinar de Campoverde at 10am of moderate
difficulty
24 November 2007 - La Asociación de Amigos de Sierra Escalona (ASE) draws attention
to the following press reports from La Información
El Periódico de la Provincia de Alicante
- concerning the CV952 San Miguel to
Rebate Road and claims that the 591,000 euro upgrade is questioned and
may herald further ingression into The Parque Natural of The Sierra Escalone , or indicate future intentions.
LA INFORMACION - La Diputación ensancha una carretera en Sierra Escalona sin autorización de la Generalitat ASE alerta de que las obras ocupan suelo en la zona de amortiguación del futuro parque natural sujeta a medidas cautelares del Consell desde septiembre de 2006.
LA INFORMACION - La Diputación pide ahora autorización al Consell para la carretera en Escalona La Conselleria de Medio Ambiente dice que la reforma del vial de San Miguel a Rebate no incluirá su ensanchamiento en la zona protegida. |
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| Amigos de Sierra Escalona convoca una marcha por la Vereda del Camino Real el próximo 21 de octubre como protesta por la urbanización del PAU 21 de Orihuela
Amigos de Sierra Escalona calls for a march by the Path of the Camino Real the next one 21 of October as protest against the urbanization of the PAU 21 of Orihuela...
below is an article written by Rebecca Griffin for The Coastrider dated
23rd October. |
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| A walk for the future - article by Rebecca Griffin
of The CoastRider -
email
Rebecca with any NEWS ITEM
The persistent drizzle on Sunday morning (21 October 2007) did not deter around 100 walkers from taking part in a protest walk, organised by the campaign group,
Amigos de Sierra Escalona, which started with a gathering in front of the Church of San Miguel de Salinas.
Many nationalities were represented, but the majority were Spanish citizens from all over the region who were taking part in an attempt to halt the destruction of the natural environment of Sierra Escalona. There were representatives from many of the Orihuela political parties including
PSOE opposition councillor, Rosa Martinez and her family; Manuel Gallud, opposition councillor for Los Verdes, or the Green Party of Orihuela;
Joaquin Ezcurra, opposition councillor for the CLR, and CLARO president, Bob Houliston. There were no councillors from the ruling Partido Popular present. There were many children among the walkers, causing one lady to comment, “We are here today for their future.” The turnout of British ex-pats was low.
Specifically, the Amigos of Sierra Escalona would like to see the PAU21 development halted because no environmental impact assessment has been carried out. There are plans to build yet more new homes, and a golf course, which will not only damage the natural environment, but will add further strain to the region’s already stretched water supplies.
The Amigos are also lobbying the Valencian Government to extend the protected green area from 4,700 hectares to 11,000 hectares. The PAU 21 development falls within the zone the campaign group believes should be kept safe from the constructors. Organisers of the walk brought a banner with them for press photographers, which contained the slogan,
“Vega Baja is not for sale.”
Gordon Hardy-Pearce, a local naturist and ornithologist told me: “In this area, there are golden eagles, Griffon vultures, buzzards and peregrine falcons.
They feed on red-legged partridges and rabbits. Once you destroy their habitat, you take away their food. Birds cannot eat golf balls.”
We had to drive out of San Miguel de Salinas and along the Campoamor Road to the first urbanisation on the right to reach the start of the walk. A group of teachers and a doctor with whom I spent most of my time pointed out Mediterranean pines and a species of palm that is protected. Different varieties of mushroom are also abundant thanks to the damp weather. One
well travelled teacher said to me: “There are ancient pine trees here that will be destroyed. Already, a lot of this land has been taken over by orange and lemon groves, but this is better than building more houses.” She added: “It is important that British people are told not to buy new houses here anymore.
In Britain, much of the land is owned by the government making planning permission more difficult, here it is owned privately which makes it easy for constructors to buy it and build on it. If no-one buys new houses, then the constructors will stop building.
People should only buy houses that are already built.” Her comments were echoed by her friends, who all felt the blame for the uncontrolled building in Orihuela sits firmly in the lap of the ruling Partido Popular party, which continues to sanction yet more unwanted housing developments, such as those in Cala Mosca and Villamartin.
The PAU21 development has already had a devastating effect on Sierra Escalona, with roads and roundabouts already carved out, and a half-built bridge crossing a rambla.
The bulldozers have also flattened a huge area that once contained hundreds of pine trees, ready to make way for new homes. One of the roads leading to the development runs across the Camino Real, a cattle path and public right of way.
What is so beautiful about the Sierra Escalona is that there is no dog mess or rubbish on the pathways, because the area currently allows nature lovers to get far away from any buildings on foot. When PAU21 is finished, this will no longer be the case. Road access into the Sierra may also encourage illegal dumping by builders, which currently happens all over Orihuela Costa in other green areas.
Without exception, everyone who took part in the protest walk wants to see a halt to uncontrolled building in the Orihuela municipality, so that the many young children who took part in the walk can enjoy natural environments such as Sierra Escalona when they reach adulthood.
R Griffin - The CoastRider |
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| EL SABADO, 21 DE ABRIL HAY EN ALICANTE UNA MANIFESTACIÓN EN CONTRA DEL URBANISMO SALVAJE Y EN DEFENSA DEL TERRITORIO Y SUS RECURSOS. ESTÁ CONVOCADA POR COLECTIVOS CIUDADANOS
DE TODA LA COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA.
DESDE SAN MIGUEL SALDRÁ UN AUTOBÚS a las 16:15 horas junto al Ayuntamiento. SE PUEDE RESERVAR EL BILLETE EN EL LOCAL DE LA ASOCIACIÓN DE VECINOS O LLAMANDO AL TELÉFONO: 965 720 351
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On Saturday 21st APRIL THERE IS A DEMONSTRATION AGAINST
WILD TOWN PLANNING AND IN DEFENSE OF THE TERRITORY AND ITS RESOURCES.
THIS WILL BE HELD IN ALICANTE AND IS CALLED COLLECTIVELY BY THE CITIZENS
OF THE VALENCIAN COMMUNITY.
A BUS WILL LEAVE
FROM THE AYUNTAMIENTO SAN MIGUEL DE SALINAS AT 16:15 hours.
Anyone wishing to attend should reserve a seat at The Association of Neighbour Office or telephone 965 720 351 |
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Acude a la manifestación de Alicante del sábado 21 de abril a las 18 horas en la Plaza del Ayuntamiento
Por nuestra tierra - Basta de corrupción y de especulación - Moratoria urbanística ya - Convoca: Compromís pel territori
Respond to the demonstration at Alicante on Saturday 21 of April at 6pm in the Plaza of the City Hall
Our land - Corruption and Speculation - An Urban Development Moratorium "Compromís pel territori"...more information |
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Alegaciones al plan de ordenación de los recursos naturales del parque natural de la Sierra de Escalona y Dehesa de Campoamor y al proyecto de decreto de declaración del parque natural de la sierra de Escalona y Dehesa de Campoamor.
Esquerra Unida de San Miguel de Salinas -
.pdf document
Allegations on the general plan concerning the natural resources of the nature reserve of the Sierra de Escalona and Dehesa de Campoamor and a declaration statement on the project of the nature reserve of the Sierra de Escalona and Dehesa de Campoamor.
Esquerra Unida de San Miguel de Salinas |
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Valoración de Amigos de Sierra Escalona
Amigos de Sierra Escalona valoramos con moderada satisfacción el inicio de los procedimientos para la declaración de la Sierra Escalona y L Dehesa de Campoamor como Parque Natural de la Comunidad Valencia, y para la elaboración y aprobación del Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales de dicho espacio natural publicado por el DOGV el 11 de septiembre de 2006.
Durante los últimos cinco años hemos disfrutado recorriendo Sierra pero también hemos sido testigos de agresiones de todo tipo (roturaciones, campo de golf, urbanizaciones…) que hemos denunciado puntualmente. En nuestra lucha permanente por contribuir a la protección de Sierra Escalona también hemos intentado dar a conocer a la ciudadanía los valores del entorno y la necesidad de conservar hábitat y especies para beneficio de las generaciones actuales y futuras.
Amigos de Sierra Escalona también queremos manifestar que la alegría inicial se has visto empanada al comprobar que los limites propuestos para el futuro Parque Natural excluyen una amplia extensión que alberga los mismos valores que el territorio que se pretende proteger con la máxima figura que contempla la Ley Valenciana de Espacios Naturales. Resulta incomprensible como han quedado fuera de la relimitación, tanto del Parque como del Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales (PORN), varias zonas de alto valor ecológico amenazadas por proyectos urbanísticos entre las que destaca la ocupada por el polémico sector PAU 21 de Orihuela, cuyos mas de 3 millones de metros cuadrados están siendo destruidos pese a no contar ni con el proyecto de reparcelación aprobado ni con una evaluación de impacto ambiental a la que obliga la legislación europea aplicable.
Los Amigos de Sierra Escalona promoverá durante el proceso de tramitación la extensión de los límites del Parque Natural hasta las 10,000 hectárea que consideramos merecedoras de esa protección específica.
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Appraisal Amigos de Sierra Escalona
The Amigos de Sierra Escalona are moderately satisfied with the announcement by The Comunidad Valencia of the commencement procedures for the legal protection of The Sierra Escalona and Dehesa de Campoamor as a nature reserve. The statement of the Community Valencia elaborates and approves the Plan of Ordering of the Natural Resources (PORN) of the said natural space published by the DOGV dated 11 September 2006.
During the last five years we have continued to enjoy travelling through The Sierra Escalona but we have also witnessed all types of illegal ingressions (roturaciones, golf course, urbanizations…) that have been denounced punctually by The Amigos de Sierra Escalona. In the continuing fight to Protect the Sierra Escalona the group has tried to draw public attention to the values of the environment and the need to conserve this fragile habitat and the many endangered species that inhabit this region for benefit of the present and future generations.
The Amigos de Sierra Escalona also want to make public that their initial happiness in the statement to verify the proposed limits for the future nature reserve is short-lived in that the Order actually excludes extensive areas, also part of this natural landscape, that is of equal environmental importance and is in need of the same protection under the Valencian Law of Natural Spaces. It appears to be incomprehensible that these areas have been excluded from the defined delimitation of the Parque Natural. They have been omitted, like so much of the Park in the Plan of Ordering of the Natural Resources (PORN) and include several zones of high ecological value under threat from urban development projects. One of particular controversy, the group emphasizes, is that occupied by the controversial sector PAU 21, part of Orihuela Costa, an area of 3 million square meters that is being destroyed despite the fact that development is contrary to the evaluation of environmental impact. Developers are obliged to conform and seek approval to European Legislation with regards to projects involving redefinition of land use.
The Amigos de Sierra Escalona will continue to report the facts during the process of seeking protection from The Community Valencia for the extension of the area of the nature reserve to the 10,000 hectare that they consider deserving of that protection specified within the law. |
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La Coordinadora LA VEGA BAJA NO SE VENDE está formada por los siguientes colectivos:
The Coordination of the Campaign 'The Vega Baja is not for Sale' is formed by the following environmental groups: |
Amigos de los Humedales del Sur de Alicante (AHSA)
Amigos de Sierra Escalona (ASE)
Asociación Abrazar la Tierra (Benijófar)
Asociación de Vecinos de San Miguel de Salinas
Asociación de Vecinos de Torremendo
Asociación de Vecinos La Murada Joven (ASOJOVEN)
Asociación de Vecinos Los Pérez (Los Montesinos)
Asociación Juvenil El Agudo (La Murada)
Asociación Naturalista del Campo de La Horadada (ANCHO)
Asociación Natura Viva (Almoradí)
Asociación Pico del Águila (La Matanza)
Centro Excursionista Almoradí
Ciudadanos por Los Montesinos
Colla Ecologista El Campanà (Crevillent)
Confederación General de Trabajadores (CGT)
Ecologistas en Acción del País Valenciano
Plataforma Cívica Segura Limpio |
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Amig@s de SIERRA ESCALONA