In the Sierra Norte region of Guadalajara, the initiative “Sierra Norte Living Landscape,” led by the Fernando González Bernáldez Foundation, is gaining significant traction through a series of participatory workshops held in collaboration with the region’s Natural Park. These workshops have provided a forum for over twenty local participants from the park, including mayors, farmers, beekeepers, tourism entrepreneurs, consultants, association representatives, and young business owners, who have contributed their perspectives and proposals for improving the region with an ecological and collaborative approach.
The technical team of ADEL Sierra Norte and members of its Board of Directors, including the mayor of Galve de Sorbe, Francisco Javier López Lorenzo, have played an active role in these sessions. The diversity of the participants has offered a wide range of ideas, all focused on the betterment and sustainability of the area. Meetings, initially held in Campillo de Ranas and Umbralejo, invited attendees to share their vision of the “dreamed landscape” for the future of the natural park, discussing both the challenges and opportunities on the path to that goal.
At one of the most recent meetings in Umbralejo, the focus was on identifying the necessary steps to achieve that desired landscape. Among the numerous proposals discussed, initiatives such as forest certification to value the services that forests provide to society and support for local entrepreneurs stood out. The conclusions and proposals from these workshops will be presented to the technical team of the natural park, led by Rafael Ruiz, and other relevant regional entities for consideration in future policies and actions.
The joint effort between the Natural Park and the rural development group ADEL has been evident in various projects, such as the marking of trails and the installation of informational panels in different towns within the park. This work was recognized during the 30th anniversary gala of ADEL, where Rafael Ruiz was awarded for his contributions to the environment.
The “Sierra Norte Living Landscape” project is supported by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) and is part of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan funded by the European Union through NextGenerationEU, reinforcing its potential impact and sustainability in the long term in the region.
