In a ceremony held yesterday in Oxford, the European Federation of Parks (Europarc) awarded Doñana the European Charter of Sustainable Tourism, in recognition of the balance achieved in the area between tourist development and the conservation of the National and Natural Park of Doñana’s natural, cultural and historical heritage.
Fourteen municipalities within its scope of application
The charter’s scope of application covers the 14 municipalities making up the National and Natural Park of Doñana: Almonte, Hinojos, Lucena del Puerto, Bollullos Par del Condado, Bonares, Moguer, Palos de la Frontera, Rociana del Condado and Villamanrique de la Condesa in the province of Huelva; Aznalcazar, Pilas, Puebla del Río and Villafranco del Guadalquivir in that of Sevilla; and Sanlucar de Barrameda in that of Cadiz.
Quality programme
Among other measures, the drafting of a technical white paper addressing the co-ordination and improvement of the informative and educational content of the facilities located in Doñana and a quality programme to improve visitor reception at the national park, as well as the introduction of an environmental management system complying with UNE-EN ISO-14001 rules in the natural park, are worthy of a special mention.
Doñana, the eighth Spanish park to be awarded the charter
La Garrotxa, in Girona, and Los Alcornocales, Aracena y Picos de Aroche, Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas, Sierra Nevada and Grazalema, all in Andalusia, are the parks that have been previously awarded the charter.
