The subdelegate of the Government in A Coruña participated this morning in the inauguration of the first Ecotourism Path of the Biosphere, located in the city of Miño, together with the mayor, Manuel Vázquez Faraldo, the Territorial delegate of the Xunta, Belén Docampo, and the president of the Board of Directors of the Biosphere Reserve Mariñas Coruñesas, José A. Santiso Miramontes.
The action, promoted by the Mariñas Coruñesas Biosphere Reserve within the framework of its Tourism Sustainability Plan, was financed by the Next Generation funds of the European Union through the Government of Spain, the Xunta de Galicia through the Tourism Agency of Galicia and the City of Miño. The total budget for the action amounted to 65,295.75 euros.
The new itinerary recovers a 1.8 km coastal route between Ponte do Porco and the Port of Miño, connecting the beaches of Ribeira and Alameda through a natural path, accessible and without asphalted stretches. The intervention is part of a certified ecotourism strategy that focuses on environmental restoration, respect for biodiversity and the promotion of a sustainable tourism model.
“This project represents an important step towards a sustainable development model that takes care of the environment, improves the quality of life of citizens and enhances the value of our natural and cultural heritage.” Rivas highlighted the contribution of Next Generation funds to support this type of projects that could otherwise have been difficult to carry out and said that the results of these investments are now beginning to be seen.
In addition, he stressed the strategic value of Miño as a tourist destination. “This path adds a new attraction to its catalog of resources, offering an alternative of healthy leisure and respectful of the environment,” he said.
The subdelegate of the Government wanted to highlight that projects like this only make sense if they are at the service of the people, and highlighted the role of the neighborhood of Miño and the general public as the main recipients of this new space. “This path is to be lived, cared for and enjoyed by the people who live and visit this territory. They are the ones who give meaning to the effort involved in preserving and valuing our landscape,” he said.
The path is located within an area protected by UNESCO, the Reserve of the Biosphere Mariñas Coruñesas and Terras do Mandeo, which reinforces its relevance as a project of conservation and enhancement of the environmental heritage. The intervention included actions such as the elimination of invasive species (black acacia, robinia and vinca), the restoration of native vegetation, the improvement of the footbridges of the Alameda beach or the installation of new informative signage. The Mariñas Coruñesas Biosphere Reserve is the first Ecotourism Destination to be certified in Galicia (in 2020), through the Ecotourism Club in Spain.