Ecotourism commitment // Valle Iruelas
Our planet needs us
Embracing nature responsibly
Nature is our greatest treasure: preserving it is everyone's task. From Valle de Iruelas we are committed to respect and protect our heritage. We avoid altering the habitats of species such as the black vulture and the imperial eagle. We strive to signpost our trails so as not to damage the vegetation and to maintain silence so as not to disturb the fauna. We reduce our ecological footprint and support local communities by consuming from local businesses and valuing their cultural heritage. We promote the conservation of this natural treasure by spreading sustainable practices.
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The Iruelas Valley Nature Reserve has also adopted the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CETS), a EUROPARC initiative that seeks to promote sustainable tourism in protected natural areas in Europe. This recognition is awarded to areas that promote sustainable tourism through effective planning and participatory processes.
The Iruelas Valley Nature Reserve was accredited in 2009 with the CETS. Since its accession, the Iruelas Valley NR has worked with the approach and methodology of the CETS, so that between 2010 and 2014, the Diputación de Ávila led the implementation of a Competitiveness Plan for the Iruelas Valley Natural Reserve.n of an Active Tourism Competitiveness Plan for Gredos - Iruelas, with the co-financing of the State Secretariat of Tourism (SETUR) and the DG of Tourism of Castilla y León. New tourism products have been created: astro-tourism, ornithological tourism, mycological tourism. The Bosques Mágicos trail network was created.
The CETS is a tool for work, planning and commitment that lasts over time. To maintain this accreditation, an action plan must be implemented, participation structures must be maintained and renewal must be requested. It is a joint process that is the responsibility of all stakeholders in the territory, including the Permanent Forum on Sustainable Tourism for all local and regional stakeholders involved (Authority responsible for the protected natural area, the community and conservation authorities, and representatives of local businesses).The Forum is the responsibility of all the stakeholders of the territory, including the Permanent Forum for sustainable tourism for all the local and regional agents involved (authority responsible for the protected natural area, the community and conservation authorities, and the representatives of the tourism companies) in the tourism development of the territory and the conservation of the natural and cultural resources of each protected natural area and the Working Group composed of the representatives of the groups that are within the Forum with the capacity to manage funds. Both actors promote the protected natural areas as sustainable tourism destinations, through effective planning, management structures and participatory processes in order to ensure that visitors can enjoy the Iruelas Valley Nature Reserve in a more sustainable way.
There is a Strategic Plan for the development of active tourism in the areas of Sierra de Gredos and Valle de Iruelas," and it covers both parks. In the Iruelas Valley Nature Reserve, several tourism plans have been developed, such as the CETS Action Plan with an application period of 2021-2025, and in the process of renewal for 2026-2030,
The Iruelas Valley, as a member of Soy Ecoturista (Ecotourism product club in Spain), is committed to promoting responsible tourism that respects the environment. Through sustainable activities, it seeks to preserve the natural and cultural wealth of the region, promoting environmental education and supporting local initiatives that contribute to the sustainable economic development of nearby communities.