The declaration as a National Park of the Summits of the Sierra del Guadarrama will have a “positive environmental and social impact since it responds to the interests of society and guarantees the highest degree of protection to a natural space of incalculable ecological value”, said this week the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Miguel Arias Cañete.

The Minister has taken advantage of the debate on the amendments to the totality in the Plenary of the Congress of Deputies in defence of the Bill declaring the National Park of the Cumbres de la Sierra de Guadarrama to highlight the importance of this space and the need to attend to protection of the highest level. It is an area that already has the custody of figures such as the Natural Park of the Summit, Circus and Lagoons of Peñalara, the Regional Park of the Upper Basin of the Manzanares and the Sierra Norte de Guadarrama Natural Park. In addition, part of its scope is made up of Natura 2000 Network spaces, the Upper Manzanares Basin is within the Biosphere Reserve declared by UNESCO; and the Wetlands of the Peñalara Massif.

In addition to providing economic and social benefits to the affected areas, which will mean an important generation of employment, this declaration responds to the “incalculable ecological value” of this natural and cultural space and “was born with a clear vocation to increase its surface area”.