The first outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in Spain since 1994 has put the Generalitat de Catalunya on alert, which has reacted forcefully to try to stop its spread. After the initial finding of two, and later up to nine wild boars dead due to the disease in the area of Cerdanyola del Vallès, the Government has activated a contingency plan with severe restrictions that directly affect natural life and leisure in the province of Barcelona.
12 municipalities affected by the plague
The most drastic measure has been applied in a perimeter of six kilometers around the outbreak, the so-called Infection Zone, which includes twelve municipalities of Vallès and the surroundings of Barcelona. In this area, which includes towns such as Cerdanyola del Vallès, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Terrassa and Rubí, and extends to Sabadell, Ripollet, Montcada i Reixac, Badia del Vallès, Barberà del Vallès, Sant Quirze del Vallès, Polinyà and Santa Perpètua de la Mogoda, access to the natural environment is completely forbidden.
This implies the total suspension of hunting, of any forestry work and even of activities in rural areas, all with the aim of preventing the virus from spreading among the wild boar population, estimated at about 400 specimens in this closest radius. In addition, physical barriers, disinfectants and traps have been installed for its control.
The complete list of municipalities is:
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Sabadell
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Sant Quirze del Vallès
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Polinyà
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Santa Perpètua de la Mogoda
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Montcada i Reixac
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Ripollet
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Barberà del Vallès
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Badia del Vallès
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Cerdanyola del Vallès
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Sant Cugat del Vallès
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Terrassa
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Rubí
What other parks are affected
Although Collserola is the epicenter of the restrictions in the big city, the shielding extends with nuances to other green lungs of the metropolitan and valley environment. The total closure to the natural environment has been applied in specific areas of other parks: on the one hand, in the Parc de Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac in the part that corresponds to the municipality of Terrassa, and on the other, in the Parc de la Serralada de Marina in the area that belongs to Montcada i Reixac. In these areas, any leisure activity in the forest is forbidden to ensure that there is no interference with the containment works.
This is the complete list of the parks and their effects.
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Parc de Collserola: Total closure for leisure in the entire park, which covers nine municipalities such as Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès and Sant Cugat. Tibidabo Amusement Park is not affected.
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Parc de la Serralada de la Marina: Suspension of activities in the natural environment of Badalona, Santa Coloma and Tiana.
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Parc de la Serralada Litoral: Affects natural environment in Alella, Martorelles, Montornès del Vallès, La Roca del Vallès, Santa Maria de Martorelles, Teià, Tiana, Vallromanes, Vilanova del Vallès and Vilassar de Dalt.
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Espai Sant Miquel del Fai: Suspension of activities at Bigues i Riells del Fai
A double security perimeter to contain the disease
But the confinement does not end there. The Generalitat has established a second security ring of 20 kilometers, called Surveillance Zone, which extends over 64 additional municipalities, reaching a total of 76 localities under some kind of restriction. Most notably for Barcelona residents, this zone includes the entire Parsque de Collserola, one of the city’s green lungs.
Here the restrictions are specific, focusing on limiting leisure activities and those linked to biodiversity, such as hiking, bicycle routes or mushroom picking, so that they do not interfere with control and biosecurity work. The slogan is to avoid any movement of animals, and for this reason the Collserola Management Consortium has already suspended all programmed activities.
Although the authorities insist that African swine fever does not affect humans nor is it transmitted through meat consumption, the risk for the Catalan pig sector is serious, since a business valued at 4,300 million euros is at stake. The concern has already transcended borders, causing the suspension of export agreements by important markets such as Japan, Mexico and Taiwan.
This perimeter includes 64 municipalities with limitations on leisure, hunting and biodiversity activities, prohibiting interference in population control, and restricts access to the Parc de Collserola for leisure. Some affected by counties: Alt Penedès (Gelida, Sant Llorenç d’Hortons); Anoia (Els Hostalets de Pierola, Masquefa); Bages (Castellbell i el Vilar, Mura, Rellinars); Baix Llobregat (Abrera, Castellbisbal, Castellví de Rosanes, Cervelló, Corbera de Llobregat, El Papiol, Esparreguera, Molins de Rei, Olesa de Montserrat, Pallejà, El Prat de Llobregat, Sant Andreu de la Barca, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Sant Climent de Llobregat, Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Joan Despí, Sant Vicenç dels Horts, Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Torrelles de Llobregat, Vallirana, La Palma de Cervelló); Barcelonès (Badalona, Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sant Adrià de Besòs, Santa Coloma de Gramenet); Maresme (Alella, El Masnou, Montgat, Teià, Tiana, Vilassar de Dalt); Vallès Occidental (Badia del Vallès, Barberà del Vallès, Castellar del Vallès, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Gallifa, Matadepera, Montcada i Reixac, Palau-solità i Plegamans, Polinyà, Ripollet, Rubí, Sabadell, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Sant Llorenç Savall, Sant Quirze del Vallès, Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Sentmenat, Terrassa, Ullastrell, Vacarisses, Viladecavalls); Vallès Oriental (Bigues i Riells del Fai, Caldes de Montbui, Canovelles, Granollers, La Roca del Vallès, Lliçà d’Amunt, Lliçà de Vall, Martorelles, Montmeló, Montornès del Vallès, Parets del Vallès, Santa Eulàlia de Ronçana, Santa Maria de Martorelles, Vallromanes, Vilanova del Vallès).