Promote the socio-economic development of the areas of influence of twenty natural spaces in the province of León through nature tourism. This is the objective sought by the protocol signed by the Provincial Council and the Provincial Council for the development of 20 tourist infrastructures in these areas of the province with an investment of 15 million euros. Funding the deal is the Department of Environment, Housing and Housing. Territorial planning will contribute 70 percent of the investment, while the Provincial Council will be responsible for the remaining thirty percent. According to the signed agreement, the provincial institution will be able to obtain from the municipalities in which the investments are made the material and financial collaboration necessary to accelerate the proposals by assuming its financial commitment as soon as possible and guaranteeing the greatest number of actions . throughout the province. An agreement that comes after detecting that the rural areas of León significantly increase the number of visitors who want to enjoy its attractions and require a series of services. This tourist profile seeks, among other activities, proposals related to active tourism. and nature. And the province of León can offer these experiences by having very unique and appreciated attractions, which the signed agreement seeks to enhance.
The proposed actions They will focus on creating infrastructure for public usealso contributing to economic development, the creation of stable jobs and the strengthening of the population in the territorial areas of influence, with particular emphasis on the areas most affected by the decline of coal mining.
It is not for nothing that León has a natural heritage of great diversity and quality, as evidenced by the numerous protected natural areas that it hosts on its territory. This is the case, among others, of the Picos de Europa National Park, the Sierra de Riaño and Mampodre Regional Park, as well as the Babia y Luna Natural Park or the natural monuments of Las Médulas, Lake Truchillas and Lake de la Baña. Added to this are seven biosphere reserves declared by UNESCO and the territory framed in the Natura 2000 network. In fact, León is not only the province with the most biosphere reserves declared on its territory but also with the most kilometers of protected natural spaces. : 17 percent of its 15,581 square kilometers of extension.
This wide range of resources makes the Leonese province a privileged place to enjoy nature tourism and in which this protocol is established to develop tourist infrastructures allowing you to enjoy even more of these spaces offered by nature. In accordance with the signed protocol, the ministry. of the Environment will plan a series of projects aimed at creating unique infrastructures in natural spaces and areas, which it will develop through the Natural Heritage Foundation of Castilla y León. This will be responsible for carrying out the projects, always in collaboration with the Town Halls where they will be developed. The proposed execution period is 2024-2028, prioritizing actions according to their degree of technical and administrative maturity.
The list of 20 proposed actions initially includes projects linked to the territory and natural values of the province of León. Includes walking trails, viewpoints, mountain huts, park accommodation facilities, improvements and creation of new trails or signage. Mountain Bike Tours (BBT) or the promotion of fishing are other initial proposals considered.
Thus, a 500-meter Tibetan bridge is planned that will connect the two banks of the Bárcena reservoir or the establishment of a network of panoramic roads and a trail with a suspended footbridge in Riaño. Also, lookouts and observation points for large carnivores, the creation of new trails in areas of great tourist attraction and the national and international promotion of the Zona Alfa, among others.
The tourist use of the large natural spaces of Castilla y León is one of the bets of the Authority, which wants to take advantage of this momentum of economic reactivation in rural areas and in natural spaces through the development of this use of natural resources . And the Community has enormous potential in this area, since it has 33 areas with different levels of protection between national, regional, natural parks, nature reserves, natural monuments and protected landscapes, in addition to 35 park houses and centers themes; thousands of kilometers of marked trails; dozens of ecotourism businesses; ten biosphere reserves and one global geopark declared by UNESCO.
