Forest roads in Andalusia. The Ministry of Sustainability, Environment and Blue Economy has increased by ten million euros the amount planned for the modernization and improvement actions of the forest roads. Specifically, from the 17,789,303 planned for the period 2021-2024 to 27,789,303 for the period 2024-2025.
These works, dependent on the general directorate of Forest Policy and Biodiversity and charged to the EAFDER funds, have the objective of improving the pavements and infrastructure of the red andalusian forest roadas well as accessibility to the mountains and increasing the effectiveness of forestry actions in general.
In this way, transit to fire prevention and extinguishing means is guaranteed if necessary. Specifically, according to the latest inventory dated October 2023, there are in Andalusia a total of 27,557 kilometers of forest roads.
The counselor, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, has highlighted this “firm and determined commitment to the Andalusian mountains in particular, and to the conservation of the environment in general.” He explained that these forest roads “in addition to articulating the territory and improving forest management, they allow access by terrestrial means to all types of preventive tasks, and access to prevention infrastructure such as surveillance towers or water ponds.”
In the same way, he recalled that throughout 2024 a “record figure” in fire prevention will be reached since the planned amount will reach 134 million euros, eight percent more than what was allocated in 2023 and up to 61%. more than what was invested in this matter in 2018.
“The Government of Juanma Moreno is very committed to forestry policy because forestry treatments favor the prevention of fires and minimize both their risks and their duration,” and he has added that “fires also go out throughout the winter.”
The works to be carried out are, among others, road regulations, layout and modernization of the pavements to adapt them to the access needs of prevention and extinction vehicles. They also focus on improving the evacuation capacity of ditches, removal of obstacles that impede traffic or the rectification of curves, among others.
Digitization of forest roads in Andalusia
In order to plan these works, the General Directorate of Forest Policy and Biodiversity carried out a thorough review of the Redvia inventory for the prevention of natural risks in Andalusia.
This work has made it possible to obtain updated digital coverage of all the public forest roads in Andalusia that are considered priorities for fire prevention and to improve the management of the Andalusian mountains.
At the end of 2021, this department launched eleven service orders for the modernization and improvement of forest roads for 2021-2024, one per province and three specific ones for the natural spaces of Sierra Nevada, Doñana and the Sierras de Cazorla Natural Park. , Segura and Las Villas.
These have a term of thirty months and are scheduled to be completed in May 2024. Now, this extension allows the deadlines to be increased until June 2025 and increases the investment by another ten million euros.