The municipalities of Alzira, Tavernes de la Valldigna, Benifairó de la Valldigna, Corbera, Favara and Llaurí, together with the Consorci de la Ribera, formed by the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta and the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Baixa, held their first institutional meeting today to coordinate the joint presentation of an ambitious European cooperation project for forest management in the Serra de Corbera.
This meeting marks the beginning of a shared strategy that seeks to transform the way in which municipalities approach coordinated, sustainable and inclusive action in this natural area of great ecological value, included in the Natura 2000 Network as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
The initiative, promoted by the Ribera Consortium, envisages the creation of a Supramunicipal Forest Fire Prevention Office based in Alzira, as well as the launch of a shared forest brigade, a regional agricultural waste shredding service and a firefighting livestock unit for the strategic management of plant fuel.
The project also envisages the development of self-protection policies in residential areas, the promotion of extensive livestock farming and regenerative agriculture, the promotion of environmental volunteering and the creation of a land bank to facilitate access to agricultural and forestry activities for new profiles. Work will also be done to promote local products with the creation of a regional quality seal linked to the Serra.
The political representatives present at the meeting highlighted the importance of joining forces to tackle the environmental and socio-economic challenges threatening this area. They agreed on the need to attract European funds and take advantage of the synergy between municipalities to ensure greater effectiveness in the prevention and conservation of the Serra.
Among the priority objectives are reducing the risk of fires, improving operational response, restoring the traditional agroforestry mosaic, and reviving the rural economy through sustainable land management.
This project, which will soon be submitted for European funding, represents an innovative model of shared governance, aligned with the European Union’s climate and green transition objectives, and aims to make the Serra de Corbera a benchmark in the integrated management of the Mediterranean forest landscape and its special protection as a natural area.
