Ramon Torrelles has opened the Parc Ambiental Basses de les Valletes to the public, a 19-hectare estate located in La Saira de Almacelles that incorporates the Granja Escola Castell de la Saidia and aims to be used for visits by neighbors and schoolchildren.
The paradox of the project lies in the timing of its arrival. Torrelles, 73, states that he wants to make the space available to people after decades of it being practically untouched, but he also admits that he wants to prepare it now, before he dies.
The park preserves three ponds and more than three kilometers of trails
The enclosure has three ponds fed by natural springs. The largest is 140 meters wide and supplies the Clamor de Raimat to Montagut.
In addition, the estate has more than three kilometers of paths. Torrelles maintains that his goal is "to bring everyone who comes closer to a piece of nature that has remained untouched for decades."
The owner wants to reconcile this opening with some specific actions. He has requested a subsidy to fence the area and protect the animals already on the estate, especially goats and sheep.
In this request, Torrelles proposes a limited intervention. "I would like to introduce some small improvements such as fencing the area, as there are already some animals, mainly goats and sheep," he says, adding that a small grant for specific improvements would be sufficient for him.
The estate has been documented since the 17th century and is opened for educational use
The property has been documented since the late 17th century, when it supplied livestock to the cathedral of Lleida. It later passed into the hands of Melcior de Guàrdia, baron of Esponellà, and a royal drove road ran through the land towards the Pyrenees and Aragon.
Now the space is also offered for school visits for educational purposes. The proposal involves facilitating the analysis of the environment without future alterations or modifications.
This educational approach coincides with another project underway in the Segrià region. In Torrefarrera, a group of residents is processing a Rural Environment Classroom with the support of the Agriculture department and has already presented the initiative to the town hall.
The file was forwarded to Urban Planning and entered into debate in committee on the 8th. The proposal seeks to explain the cycle of fruit trees and allow practical activities such as cherry picking, in continuity with the work of Jordi Simón and Montse Fo.
Torrelles summarizes the meaning of the opening with a personal and concrete phrase. "I want this area to be dedicated to the people, but I want to leave it ready before passing on to a better life".