The bodies of Rural Agents and the Catalan Federation of Speleology have signed an agreement to make sports activities compatible with the protection of nature. The document provides for the promotion of joint actions to prevent possible effects both on the natural environment and on agricultural and livestock activities.
In this sense, they have agreed to create a monitoring and control commission to evaluate the actions and define new ones. "Only by collaborating with expert entities and the public will we be able to advance in the protection of the natural environment", celebrated the General Director of the Rural Agents Corps, Marc Costa.
In turn, the president of the Catalan Federation of Speleology, Lluis Domingo, stressed that the agreement "will further promote the great cooperation that has existed for seven years now between the Federation and the Corps of Rural Agents", which, he recalled , materialized with the exchange of information on the situation of cavities or for the protection of environmental impact in various areas of Catalonia.
The agreement is valid for four years, during which the monitoring commission will hold annual meetings. Apart from these meetings, the organization of an annual environmental or cleaning activity in confined natural spaces is planned, reaching places that are difficult to access to raise awareness in society and carry out campaigns to disseminate good environmental practices.
In fact, the first performance already took place on June 17, before the signing materialized on Tuesday, July 4. That day the Rural Agents and members of the Federation of Speleology acted in the Natural Park of Sant Llorenç del Munt and the Obac to remove an abandoned vehicle at the bottom of a ravine. The agents accessed the vehicle to cut it up and remove its fragments by helicopter.
In parallel to the cleaning actions, the Federation undertakes to carry out prior consultations on regulatory frameworks and obligations in the sporting events that it organizes to obtain advice from the Rural Agents. This will especially be in relation to the risk of forest fire, sensitive areas with protected flora and fauna and periods with restrictions or competent bodies when requesting authorizations.
It is also expected that the Federation will create a network of volunteers to search for information on different topics of interest that the Rural Agents are following. In addition, the FCE will provide advice and training through the Catalan School of Speleology on training topics related to Caving and canyoning, as well as technical updating of rope progression methods and the revision and re-equipment of anchors.
The General Directorate of Rural Agents has undertaken to provide the FCE with information on the daily danger of forest fire risk and activations and deactivations of the Alpha Plan, as well as information related to accidents or incidents in the confined natural environment, so that they spread it among their associates and followers.
It will also offer material and personal support to the Federation in remote areas with little radio communications coverage, as well as advice through the GSM of the Rural Agents Corps on training issues related to knowledge of the natural environment and the different sports disciplines.
Regarding joint actions, communication and coordination of both parties will be improved, establishing a digital communication link in the form of an APP on the state of cavities and canyons, whether due to dirt, uncontrolled spills, influx of people or the degradation of the anchors. The state of hypoxia in cavities in Catalonia will also be provided and collected.
