Sierra de las Nieves in Malaga becomes a national park

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law declares the Sierra de las Nieves National Park, covering 22,979.76 hectares in the province of Malaga, and adds it to the Red de Parques Nacionales (Spanish national parks network). Its conservation is declared a matter of general interest for the State.
2. The protection rules in this law prevail over any other sector rules. Activities such as mining, dumping waste, commercial logging, and sport hunting and fishing are banned inside the park, and no developable or developed land is allowed there.
3. A peripheral protection zone of 75,119.86 hectares is created around the park, plus a socioeconomic influence area made up of the municipalities that contribute land to the park and to that zone. People and businesses in that area can get grants and aid for sustainable development.
4. Managing the park is the job of the Junta de Andalucía (Andalusia's regional government), which must approve a Management and Use Plan within three years. It must also set up the park's Patronato (board of trustees)Patronato (board of trustees) A body where administrations, municipalities, landowners and other groups take part to oversee and support the park's management., a body for public participation, within two years.
5. The Junta de Andalucía may exercise rights of first refusal and withdrawal over sales of rural land inside the park. Public administrations may buy land to increase public ownership, and legitimate rights that are limited must be compensated.
6. The law sets the offenses and penalties that apply, with very serious, serious and minor categories, such as dumping waste, banned hunting or fishing, lighting fires where not allowed, or camping outside designated spots. Incompatible uses and facilities must be phased out within five years.

Who it affects

• Residents and town councils of the area's municipalities (Benahavís, El Burgo, Istán, Monda, Parauta, Ronda, Tolox, Yunquera and others): Their land is subject to the park's protection rules; the municipalities form the socioeconomic influence area and can receive aid.
• Owners of land inside the park: They must respect the limits on land uses; if they lose legitimate rights, they are entitled to compensation, and their land sales can be subject to first refusal or withdrawal by the Junta de Andalucía.
• Visitors and people doing activities in the park: They may not hunt, fish, dump waste, light fires outside allowed areas, or camp outside designated spots; breaking these rules can lead to penalties.
• Junta de Andalucía: It is responsible for managing the park, approving the Management and Use Plan, and setting up the Patronato within the set deadlines.
• General State Administration: It pays compensation for limits arising from basic state legislation and the network's master plan, and can sign financial cooperation agreements with Andalusia.

Words worth knowing

Zona Periférica de Protección (peripheral protection zone)

A band of land around the park that is protected so activities outside it do not harm its natural values.

Área de influencia socioeconómica (socioeconomic influence area)

The group of municipalities around the park whose residents and businesses can receive grants and aid linked to the park.

Plan Rector de Uso y Gestión (Management and Use Plan)

The document that sets out how the park is managed: what can be done, where and how, for at least ten years.

Tanteo y retracto (first refusal and withdrawal)

Rights that let the Junta de Andalucía take over land sold inside the park on the same terms as the buyer, either before the sale (tanteo) or after it (retracto).

Patronato (board of trustees)

A body where administrations, municipalities, landowners and other groups take part to oversee and support the park's management.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries