Salou launched on May 11 an experimental silvopasture project to clear 47 hectares of municipal forest before summer and reduce the risk of fires. The work begins in the Pedrera forest, declared a climate refuge, and will later be extended to Cap Salou, the Mirador de Salou, els Xalets de Salou, and the Zona Estival.
The initiative recovers a traditional practice in an urban and tourist municipality where the accumulation of vegetation has become a prevention problem. The flock, made up of 200 sheep and 40 goats from Alcover, will act for approximately one month under permanent supervision.
The flock will clear 47 hectares of municipal forest in approximately one month
The City Council has proposed the test as a prior action to the summer campaign, when pressure on the municipality's forest areas increases. The combination of species seeks to act on different layers of vegetation and reduce the combustible mass at various points within the municipal area.
On May 11, the cleanup began in the Pedrera forest.
The sheep perform a uniform clearing of the undergrowth, while the goats act on the shrub vegetation. This division of labor allows for more precise intervention in forest areas with different characteristics within the same environment.
During the presentation of the device, the mayor of Salou, Pere Granados, placed the start of the works in the need to recover old forest maintenance systems.
"Today is an important day because the cleaning of the Salou forests begins through one of the oldest methods that exist, which is grazing" - Pere Granados, mayor of Salou
Granados also linked the loss of grazing and vegetation accumulation with the large fires recorded in recent years. The local government defends that the test can serve to check how this system works in a municipality with strong tourist activity and forest areas very close to urbanized areas.
The Local Police will regulate traffic when the flock moves between sectors
The movements of the animals may temporarily affect traffic. During these movements, the Local Police will coordinate traffic regulation with the shepherd to facilitate the passage of the flock between the different work areas.
The flock gathers 200 sheep and 40 goats that arrived from Alcover.
At night, the animals will remain closed and supervised. The town hall has also planned to avoid the most populated areas to reduce disturbances and guarantee coexistence with the neighborhood during the development of the test.
After La Pedrera, the performance will reach Cap Salou, the Mirador de Salou, els Xalets de Salou and the Zona Estival. Pere Granados defined the measure as "natural, sustainable and very ecological".