ECOTOURISM IN THE VALENCIAN COMMUNITY IES MONASTIL

INTRODUCTION There is not a proper legislation about ecotourism but different specific institutions and programmes related to it: 1.Natural Parks Net in the Valencian Community 2.Red Natura 2000 (Natura 200 Net) 3.Plans to develop the touristic activity in our community. 4.Active and rural tourism legislation. 5.Other infrastructures within the natural environment which allow the development of ecotourism in the Valencian Community: greenways and paths PR and GR certified. (the European E-4 / GR-7 crosses Elda)

1. Natural Parks Net in the Valencian Community Apart from the parks we have already informed about, Elda’s Tourist Information Office is an approved PIC, (collaborating info point), where visitors can obtain information about equipment requirements, routes and services available in the Natural Parks nearby such as Sierra de Mariola.

Sierra de Mariola Natural Park Munt Cabrer

Environment Valencian Community Department

2. Red Natura 2000 in our community In the Valencian community there are 20 protectes spaces within the Red Natura 2000 (TOTAL area: ,75 ha)

10 of the RN 2000 sites are in the province of Alicante: 1.Salinas de Santa Pola 2.Serra Mariola y Font Roja 3.Moratillas y Almela (Villena) 4.Sierra de Salinas (Monovar, Pinoso, Salinas, Villena)) 5.Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja 6.Cap Roig (Guardamar, Orihuela, Torrevieja) 7.Marjal Pego-Oliva 8.Sierras del sur de Alicante(Aspe, Hondón, Orihuela…) 9.Montañas de la Marina (Altea, Benidorm, Benissa…) 10.Islotes de Tabarca

3. Plans to develop the touristic activity in our community. 1.- Global Strategic Tourism Plan in the VC : The strategic lines are defined in its proposal n. 8 : It says that the plan must enable the challenge of sustainability by: the enhancement of the local landscape and culture, the prevention and adaptation to climate change effects and by the encouragement of social responsibility initiatives. The fields of action include business, energy efficiency and the water cycle, sustainable mobility and accessible tourism, the Network Agenda 21, a supra approach to tourism planning and coordination with the Valencian Land Strategy. cion/DocumentoBasePEGTCV.pdf

Managing Plan of Inland Tourism

2.- According to the Managing Plan of Inland Tourism , the specific aims are: -Assuring sustainibility in the touristic activity. -Raising awareness and involving local people. -Preserving the natural and cultural heritage by a touristically responsible use.

According to structural guidelines: Ways to ensure sustainability: -Consolidating a sustainable touristic activity based in the natural and patrimonial wealth of the territory. -Ensuring adequacy and fulfilment of regulations as a basis for the tourism activity. -encouraging the implementation of environmental management systems in destinations. -Supporting the obtention of ”the ecological European Union label” for touristic lodgings. -Backing up the creation of green jobs. -Consolidating touristic products. -Promoting more active and nature tourism -Exploiting our natural heritage as an element of touristic promotion.

4. Active and rural tourism legislation Active tourism current legislation. Article n. 14 About the environment: Active tourism activities must be developed in the best conditions for the preservation of the environment taking all neccessary measures. “When the activities are held in forestland or in any protected areas within the VC and the Ecological European Net Natura 2000, the current legislation must be forcely applied. ner_del_Consell_regulador_del_turisme_actiu_a_la_Comunitat_Valenciana.pdf Rural Tourism regulations: mpresa_turistica/decreto_188_2005.pdf mpresa_turistica/decreto_188_2005.pdf

5. Other infrastructures within the natural environment Greenways, paths and routes PR and GR certified. In the European Union : The European long route E-4 / GR-7 crosses Elda and goes through some of the Leonardo Partners’ countries :

The European long route E-4 / GR-7 GR-7 Este sendero recorre la comunidad Valenciana de Norte a Sur. Longitud en esta comunidad de 600km con sus 36 etapas. El GR-7 es el Sendero Europeo E-4 de 6.000km de longitud, proviene del Peloponeso (Grecia). Tiene su inicio en el Templo de Delfos y atraviesa el arco mediterráneo pasando por Bulgaría, Serbia, Croacia, Eslovenia, Italia, Francia y Andorra. Termina en Tarifa (España) Red de Senderos European Rambler´s Association (ERA)