Local
Moitos consideran os pináculos rochosos incribles e os mosteiros de Montserrat para o corazón espiritual de Catalunya. Situado dentro do área metropolitana de Barcelona son só 50 km de distancia da cidade, situado nunha zona protexida. A comunidade monástica benedictina local ten tomado coidado de Montserrat, xa que alí se estabeleceron en 1025. Montserat sempre atraeu peregrinos, pero desde os anos 80, Montserrat recibiu un número crecente de visitantes, Estímase en decenas de millóns. Xunto co Consello de Administración da área protexida e municipios, os monxes teñen a traballar para preservar o natural único, valores culturais e relixiosos de Montserrat e protexelo contra as ameazas colocadas pola metrópole en crecemento na veciñanza.
Ameazas
Landslides, rock falls, storms and forest fires have been a threat the local flora and fauna throughout the ages and might get worse due to the increasingly changing climate. Since the late 1800s, tourist pressure on the site has steadily increased, and visitor numbers now reach a total of 3 million per year. Out of these, algúns 2,3 million are concentrated around the monastery of Santa Maria and seriously impact on the calm and tranquillity of the monastic area. In the lower areas of the mountain, urbanisation is spreading rapidly and affecting ecological and landscape connectivity with neighbouring mountain ranges.
The evening sun sets over the mountain and the mastery providing the remaining tourists and inhabitants with stunning views over the surrounding landscapes that they hold in reverence. (Foto: Bas Verschuuren.)
Visión
Silencio e contemplación debe permanecer central neste sitio natural santo respectado, e os plans de xestión son dirixidos desa forma. Several town councils are lobbying for the increase of the surface of protected land in the form of an agricultural park in the lower regions of the mountain. These developments would help to protect the site against urban encroachment and especially also contribute to the peace and quietness in the lower olive groves.
Acción
En 2006 the first workshop of the Delos Initiative was organized in Montserrat in cooperation between IUCN, the Park Board, the Ministry of the Environment of Catalonia and the monastic authorities. Different perspectives were exchanged with the main stakeholders plus the Catalan Federation of Hiking and Climbing Clubs, since the pinnacles and walls of Montserrat also are a highly prized climbing area. The workshop served as a starting point for the development of plans serving synergies between the different interests and values at stake at Montserrat.
Política e Dereito
While efforts to declare Montserrat a national park started in 1902, the actual enactment by the Parliament of Catalonia occurred in 1989, when it was declared a Natural Park (IUCN Category V) surrounding a Nature Reserve (IUCN Category III). Around 75 % of the protected area belongs either to the monastic community or to the Catalan government. The rest of the park, mainly at lower altitudes, is private property. The whole park is included in the European Natura 2000 rede.
O Mosteiro de Montserrat está situado a só 50 quilómetros de distancia do área metropolitana de Barcelona. El recibe preto de 3 million visitors every year and yet hosts a unique serene environment with several important plant and animal species. (Foto: Baixo Verschuuren)
Ecoloxía e Biodiversidade
Montserrat has a surface of about 45 km² and consists mostly of Tertiary rock conglomerates and sandstones. Though most rocks are bare, some are covered with Mediterranean vegetation, while evergreen Holm oak forests are established at sites with sufficient soil. Montserrat is home to 1200 identified vascular plant taxa, 40 of which are rare or endangered, tal como Erodium foetidum, Ramonda myconi e Saxifraga callosa. The site is furthermore inhabited by the vulnerable and rare Spanish Ibex (Capra hispanica) and Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata).
Vistas of the illustrious pinnacles surrounding the Montserrat Monastery are used by climbers and hermits alike in order to ascent to great hights. (Foto: Baixo Verschuuren)
Custodiantes
O macho comunidade monástica benedictina de Montserrat vive na montaña hai case un milenio. Ao longo dos séculos eremitas ocuparon abrigos illados situados nas zonas máis remotas e moitas veces superiores da formación rochosa. A female monastic community was established in another part of the mountain about 50 anos. Both male and female monastic communities share the appreciation for the holy place and the community where they revere values such as silence and contemplation. They describe the holy mountain as having a religious and symbolic value and therefore they have always kept it open to pilgrims and other visitors. One of the monks’ constant challenges is to pass these unique values and environments on to future generations. Para conseguilo, they manage the public facilities and visitors’ experience of the place while adopting measures to decrease the environmental and cultural impact in vulnerable areas.
Traballando xuntos
Este parque é único no feito de que o consello de administración está presidido polo presidente catalán, mentres que o abade principal do Mosteiro de Santa María serve como vicepresidente. Monastic monks represent their community in all major local groups. Relationships with the four surrounding municipalities are generally complex but positive. Mentres no pasado, houbo conflitos sobre o uso dos recursos, a comunidade monástica agora se engancha nun diálogo significativo cos consellos locais da cidade que axuda a liberar a presión que poden acumular-se en situacións de conflito. A iniciativa privada foi creado pola comunidade monástica en 1912, servindo para xestionar todos os servizos públicos en todo o Mosteiro. Recentemente, o Mosteiro tamén aliado coa Iniciativa Delos da IUCN para afondar e ampliar os esforzos en integrar o patrimonio inmaterial na conservación da natureza.
At a quiet evening the monastery of the Black Madona basks in the quiet of the evening sun and it is easy to be moved by its serene environment. (Foto: Baixo Verschuuren)Ferramentas de conservación
By managing natural resources prudently and in an effective way, the monastic community has long maintained a high natural value in Montserrat. They recently deployed new tools and approaches to protect the surrounding nature. The Park Board now supports local municipalities in resisting urban growth and pressures. The strategic establishment of walking paths draws public attention away from hermitages that are still in use for spiritual retreats and protects others from vandalism.
Resultados
The close collaboration with surrounding municipalities has led to the declaration of the site as a Natural park (35 km²) and Nature Reserve (17 km²) plus a buffer zone of about 42 km²: an important first result in the resistance to urban overgrowth at the site. The monastic community maintains a strong position in the Park board.
The first workshop of the Delos Initiative in 2006 has resulted in an interesting book, published by the Montserrat publishing house, containing a Declaration summarising the main conclusions, and also valuable and widely accessible information on conservation measures for Montserrat as well as for several other sacred natural sites of technologically developed countries.
- Mallarach JM e Papayannis T (eds.). 2006. Áreas Protexidas e Espiritualidade. Actas do primeiro Obradoiro da Iniciativa Delos - Montserrat. IUCN and PAM publications. Montserrat.
- Delos Iniciativa: www.med-ina.org/delos/
