The recovery of the chestnut tree in six municipalities of León receives 3.24 million from the Institute for the Just Transition
The project for the ‘Rehabilitation, afforestation and enhancement of public land by planting chestnuts of the Parede variety in the municipalities of Bembibre, Folgoso de la Ribera, Igea, Noceda del Bierzo, Torre del Bierzo and Villagatn’, which the Diputación de León submitted to the call of the Institute for the Just Transition framed in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, receiving an investment of 3,246,023.59 euros.
LEN, 10 (EUROPA PRESS)
The project for the ‘Rehabilitation, afforestation and enhancement of public land by planting chestnuts of the Parede variety in the municipalities of Bembibre, Folgoso de la Ribera, Igea, Noceda del Bierzo, Torre del Bierzo and Villagatn’, which the Diputación de León submitted to the call of the Institute for the Just Transition framed in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, receiving an investment of 3,246,023.59 euros.
This aid finances 100% of this project whose main objective is to achieve successful plantations of chestnut (Castanea sativa) of the local Parede variety on a surface area of 192.3 hectares in plots of the municipalities involved, all of them immersed in decarbonization processes. of the economy and energy transition due to the closure of coal mining operations.
Thus, the creation of chestnut groves is intended for the production of fruit that promote an alternative and sustainable economic development that allows the creation of a business fabric, promotes employment and fixes the population.
In addition, in the future it hopes to promote the establishment and growth of auxiliary industries, transformation industries, SMEs and private investors in the area. All this, contributing positively to global environmental and climate objectives.
Through this project, a rejuvenation of the production chestnut trees in the area will be achieved, which in general have suffered serious damage due to forest fires, ink infections (Phytophthora cinnamomi), the extension of the canker (Cryphonectria parasitica ) and the presence of the wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus).
The vice president of the Diputación de León for El Bierzo and deputy for Ecological Transition, Alider Presa, explains that it is a very important project not only because of the amount, but also because of the ability to generate employment and wealth in an area highly affected by the closure of mining operations.
Presa has pointed out that the preparation of the soil and the planting of the chestnut trees will generate direct employment, “but it is also a long-term project, over five years, where there will be maintenance of the trees and groves, and later, It will also provide an economic benefit not only for the town halls but also for the neighborhood councils, which are the owners of most of the land and with which agreements have been reached so that they receive an economic benefit.”
