The PSD Parliamentary Group intends to reconcile the growing demand for hiking with environmental sustainability, with the presentation of legislation that defines a new legal regime for pedestrian paths in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, involving new entities in the creation of recommended routes.
In an initiative carried out in Levada do Norte, in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, PSD Deputy, Nuno Maciel, stressed that this greater demand by tourists for our paths and levadas represents a positive reality, but also some pressure on some of the routes, so this new diploma appears as an adaptation to a legislation that is already 20 years old, making a new framework in face of the current reality and opening the door for other entities, in addition to the Regional Government, to also propose the creation of new recommended walking routes.
“What we want is that management entities of levadas, private entities of forest areas, municipalities and parish councils can also, within the framework of their autonomy, contribute and propose the creation of new walking routes,” said Nuno Maciel, reinforcing that, in this way, it would be possible to diversify the number of walkways available, thus alleviating pressure on popular routes. In addition, this would be a way for tourists to get to know other local realities, which often identify what is the natural, rural and identified heritage of different locations, meeting local development strategies as well as seeking to leverage the economy in these same locations.”
At the same time, he underlined, “the councils, boards, management entities of levadas and other private entities would also be given the possibility of adding value to their local economy.”
The deputy added that, once the recommended routes are created, the locations where they are located will also be promoted, as they will be disseminated in all channels of the regional strategy for Tourism.
It is this partnership work, which can go to the limit of inter-municipality, that we want to consolidate in the Region and by taking this ‘route’ we can enhance our hiking routes, maintain them and introduce clear and transversal rules for everyone. Ultimately this will then contribute to the development of our economy, while taking into account environmental sustainability.”
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
