A futura declaración de máis de 10000 ha. da comarca
da Limia como ZEPA (Zona de Especial Protección para Aves) xerou unha polémica
sen igual. Enfrontando de forma aberta a diversos colectivos sociais (partidos,
sindicatos agrarios, ecoloxistas e veciños) que se mostraron a favor ou en
contra da súa materialización.

A raíz da problema radica na falta de coñecemento
por parte da sociedade e polas administracións das estratexias reais
comunitarias para a protección do medio e o dereito á comunicación e
información ambiental. Medidas todas elas de carácter europeo moi alexadas
aínda da nosa limitada visión
conservacionista.

A Unión Europea leva anos traballando arreo na
creación do Proxecto Natura 2000. Natura 2000 será unha gran rede ecolóxica no
ámbito europeo, de aquelas áreas claves para a conservación da biodiversidade .
Incluindo Zonas de Especial Conservación (LIC-Lugar de Interés Comunitario)
según a Directiva de Hábitat ,así como as Zonas de Espacial Protección para as
Aves (ZEPAS) en virtude da Directiva de Aves. A súa finalidade é asegurar a
supervivencia a largo plazo das especies e ecosistemas máis amenazados do continente.

As ZEPAS (enmarcase baixo as disposicións do artigo
4 da Directiva 79/409/CEE) como zonas naturais de singular relevancia para a
conservación da rica Avifauna europea (amenazada ou en perigo). As ZEPAS nacen
da idea de que as aves do territorio comunitario son patrimonio común, e polo
tanto terán que ser protexidas a través dunha xestión homoxénia na totalidade
dos países membros. En concreto intentanse conservar 181 especies de aves
autóctonas (Anexo 1 da directiva) así como o conxunto das aves migratorias.

Na actualidade a rede galega de ZEPAS está composta
soamente por 14 zonas que ocupan unha superficie total de 71579 ha.( tan só
2,42 % do noso territorio figura baixo estas designación moi lonxe da media
nacional 16,51% ou da realidade de
outras comunidades que chegan 20% ). Un bo exemplo cercano a nosa realidade e o caso da comunidade veciña de
Castela e León. Esta autonomia que presume de ser unha das maiores rexións de
Europa existen ata 70 Zonas de Especial Protección para as Aves cunha
superficie de máis de 1.990.000 ha. As primeiras declaracións de ZEPAS
iniciaronse a polo ano 1990, naquel momento a rede contaba con 12 zonas e non
chegaba a ocupar máis do 2.5% do territorio castelano-leonés. Este conxunto de
espacios mostraronse totalmente insuficientes para o cumprimento dos obxetivos
da Directiva Europea. A Junta iniciou un interesante proceso de ampliación que
permitiu o nacemento da actual rede ZEPA formada por 70 áreas o que supón máis
do 21% do territorio.

Lamentablemente a día de hoxe Galicia é o territorio
dentro do estado que menos aporta a
esta rede de Espazos da ornitofauna .

Esta situación provocou e desencadeou que o Tribunal
de Xustiza da Comunidade Europea de Luxemburgo inculpara o España (e con ela
especialmente a Galicia) polo incumprimento
e a falta de vontade na creación e defensa das ZEPAS.

Deste xeito a Xunta de Galicia viuse na obriga, de
votar a andar un proxecto para impulsar e ampliar estas ecozonas para aves
.Tendo en conta que sen lugar a dúbidas no territorio galego existen hábitats
claves para a supervivencia das comunidades de aves europeas.

Presentándose o borrador da Declaración como ZEPA (A Limia-Veigas de
Pontelinares-Baltar) que intentara a conservación de 42 especies presentes na
comarca (citadas no Anexo europeo ). Destacando o alcaraván común (Burhinus aedicnemus), sisón común (Tetrax
tetrax) e aguilucho cenizo(circus pygargus)
todas elas con hábitat vinculados actividades agrícolas (cultivos.
cereales, pastizales) tan características nesta comarca que presume de ser a
corazón do sector primario na provincia de Ourense.

Pero o proxecto ven acompañado da polémica ,da
inseguridade e da falta de coñecementos das verdadeiras limitacións reais
(inesistentes neste caso) que pode ocasionar no rural limiao. O establecemento
da ZEPA non crea ningún tipo de traba
para a poboación que vive do campo na comarca (simplemente tutela a
protección das comunidades de aves). A ZEPA como outras figuras de protección
da natureza son unha verdadeira oportunidade
de xeración de riqueza e de
calidade de vida nas zonas rurais galegas. Xa que nun futuro cercano cando se
reforme a Política Agraria Común (PAC) e se limiten as axudas convencionais que
hoxe en dia recibe o noso agro. As
únicas zonas beneficiadas polos cartos europeos (Programa LIFE, Fondo de
Cohesión, Fondo Ceder....) serán aqueles espacios protexidos (LIC,ZEPA dentro
da red Natura) donde a producción agrícola e ganadeira reorientese cara unha visión ecolóxica e de calidade.

A Limia pode ser un claro exemplo desa idea clave do desenvolvemento sostible en Galicia.
Convertendose nun espacio natural modelado polo home ben conservado, no cal as
actividades tradicionáis conviven en simbiose ca necesaria conservación do
medio.

ÁREA DE ALLARIZ

General Description Área de Allariz Biosphere Reserve, situated in Galicia in the Iberian Peninsula in northwestern Spain, is particularly important for cultural values and sustainable land-use enabling local flora and fauna conservation. Formed by a depression where the Limia River runs, it is surrounded by a mountainous rim, with the granite massif of Allariz in its northern part. The site is of great biogeographic importance since it is located in a border territory between the Mediterranean and the Eurosiberian regions of the Iberian Peninsula, the. The forests are therefore both part of the Orensano-Sanabrienses Pyrenean oak woods and of the Galicio-Portuguese oak woods with common oak (Quercus robur) and Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica). There are three units in the region that are especially important to protect: veigas, that are lands in the margins of the Antela and Limia Rivers (higroturbosas with herbaceous vegetation and matorral); touzas, that is a mosaic of meadows and/or cultivated areas separated by wooded zones; and sebes, mixed common oak and Pyrenean oak woods, with a great species diversity. All these units are contiguous and ecologically interrelated. The variety of habitats allows for the existence of a high faunal diversity, with species of community interest and species in danger of extinction in Spain. Frogs and toads, herons and wading birds, and birds of prey are the more important groups, next to the mammals. Important species include the wolf, otter, and many species of amphibians that are Iberian endemic species.

The region is equally important for its tangible and intangible cultural heritage, since these territories are perhaps the only ones in Galicia that conserve their traditional uses and a landscape that has been formed by human practises. The region has archaeological, ethnographic and cultural elements dating back to the culture of the castros (2000 BC), the Bronze and Iron ages, the Roman epoch, the Middle Ages, etc., as well as religious or civil architecture such as pazos and family houses.

The transition area occupies over 90% of the Biosphere Reserve and includes all types of habitats, cultural, historical and artistic values, and different uses. There ate less than 10,000 inhabitants engaged in traditional practices such as- agriculture, cattle raising, forest uses etc.

The City councils are involved in the creation of an Association of Ayntamientos that will be implementing the management plan of the Biosphere Reserve. This Association, the Territorial Council and the Scientific Committee aim to guarantee that the Biosphere Reserve is not subject to the political changes that can occur after municipal electoral processes. The objectives of the Plan include the conservation of the natural and heritage resources, the maintenance of ecosystems and the protection of species and habitats, especially those included in regional, national or European lists of protection.
Major ecosystem type Evergreen sclerophyllous forests, woodlands or scrub
Major habitats & land cover types Querceto roboris sigmetum- Vaccinium myrtilli forest areas (oak groves); Mediterranean-Iberoatlantic Geomacroserie riparia silicífila (alder groves) / Riverine shore areas. Serie supramediterránea carpetana occidental, orensano-sanabriense y leonesa húmedo-hiperhúmeda silicícola del roble melojo (Quercus pyrenaica). Holco mollis-Querceto pyrenaicae signetum. / forest areas (oak groves); Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition -type vegetation / floodplains and pasture land.

Location 42º8'43"S; 7º49'40"W (Central point)
42º15'56", 42º1'33", 42º12'26" and 42º6'28"N
7º47'24", 7º52'29", 7º44'34" and 7º54'44"W

Area (hectares)
Total 21,482
Core area(s) 149.20
Buffer zone(s) 1,054.60
Transition area(s) when given 20,278.20
Altitude (metres above sea level) +425 to +926.5
Year designated 2005
Administrative authorities Asociación para o desenvolvemento de Allariz, Vilar de Santos, A Bola e Rairiz de Veigas - Concello de Allariz

Brief description : The zonation has been based on a careful analysis that considers the scientific research, the opinion of the population, socio-economic questions, the current legislation, requirements of MAB Programme and other pertinent questions.

Investigations in the Biosphere Reserve involve natural sciences with studies on abiotic and biological factors, and social sciences with studies on planning, socio-economic factors and archaeology. In recent years a system of permanent observations has been maintained with monitoring activities on natural abiotic processes (meteorology, water fluctuations), and biological processes (censuses etc.). There are also permanent observations related to socio-economic factors.
Specific variables...
Abiotic Abiotic factors, air temperature, climate, habitat, hydrology, indicators, meteorology, monitoring/methodologies, nutrients, pollution, pollutants, soil.
Biodiversity Afforestation/Reforestation, alien/invasive/exotic/introduced species, amphibians, autoecology/synecology, biodiversity, biotechnology, birds, breeding/reproduction, community studies/communities, conservation, degraded areas, ecology, ecosystem assessment, ecosystem functioning/ecosystem structure, ecotone, endemic species, fauna, fires/fire ecology, fishes, flora, freshwater/inland water, fungi, genetic resources, indicators, invertebrates/insects/spiders, mammals, migrating populations/migration, monitoring/methodologies, natural medicinal products, natural resources, phytosociology/succession, rare/endangered/threatened species, reptiles, restoration/rehabilitation/redevelopment, species inventorying/inventory, temperate forest, tropical grassland and savanna systems, vegetation studies/plant cover, wetlands, wildlife.
Socio-economic Agriculture/Production systems, agroforestry, archaeology/paleontology, bioprospecting, capacity building, control and monitoring of illegal activities, cottage industry/artisanal industry, cultural aspects, demography, economic studies, economically important species, energy production systems/alternative energy, firewood cutting/harvesting, fishery/fisheries, forestry, human health, human migration/population exodus, human/wildlife conflicts, hunting, indicators, indicators of sustainability, indigenous people, livestock and related impacts/overgrazing, local participation, monitoring methodologies, non-timber forest products/ntfp, pastoralism/pastoralists/grazing, people-nature relations/man/nature, quality economies, recreation, resource use, role of women/gender, sacred sites, small business initiatives, social/socio-economic aspects, stakeholders' interests, tourism, traditional practices/ethnology/traditional knowledge, transport.
Integrated monitoring Carrying capacity/Sustainability, ecosystem approach, education and public awareness, environmental change, environmental quality, geographic information system/gis, impact and risk studies/environmental impact, indicators, institutional and legal aspects, integrated studies/interdisciplinaty, interdisciplinary studies, land tenure, land use/land cover, landscape inventorying/monitoring, management issues, mapping, monitoring/methodologies, planning and zoning measures/zonation, policy issues, rural systems, sustainable development/sustainable use, watershed studies/monitoring.